Legacy of Fate
by satanus92
Summary: After the war Shepard and Tali had a normal life on Rannoch, untill they daughter Lia joined the army.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my new story I will focus on Lia mostly, and I have plenty of idea on this one. Please forgive if my English isn't good, thanks. Hope you guys will enjoy it :)**

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It has been almost 18 years since the end of the Reaper War. The galactic community has been fully recovered. Peace has finally settled in the galaxy.

Tali and Shepard were living in their beach front house on Rannoch. They daughter; Lia'Shepard was just about to turn 18. Lia was adopted after the war was over, as they promised to Shala'Raan when her ship was destroyed.

Lia was the only child in their family. It was a strange think among Quarians since they reclaimed they homeworld. After the war, the one child law was forbidden, and even the conclave started to make a quick repopulation program. In the coming years a normal family had about 7 to almost 10 children, since the time of pregnancy was only about half a year.

Some went to even extreme measures like with the help from the Salarians they used gene therapy so they could get twins more often.

In the year 2200 the total Quarian population has reached 100 million. The Admiralty started to plan the recolonization of former planets in the coming decade.

During her childhood Lia didn't liked to be an only child. She felt like an outsider among the others. That is why she only had a very few friend, she mostly spend her time with her father and aunt Kasumi.

Tali was still an Admiral for a few years, she help with the building of the local firewalls and later became a teacher at a local school. Since her engineering skills were remarkable.

Shepard was still a spectre plus he also became a celebrity. During his time on Rannoch some Quarian officials ask him for a little help, to train their army. First he hesitated then he accepted it. Also he asked some friends in the Alliance for some training officers. For his surprise they sent James and Ashley.

The training was quite easy. At first they main task was to train other training officers, so more units can be recruited in lesser time.

Later Ashley had an idea about organizing some war games every year. It was always held during the day of the victory over the Geth and the reclaiming of Rannoch.

Lia always liked these shows, since her youth she wanted to join the army. Tali wasn't a fond of this plan, but Shepard backed her plan.

...

It was three o'clock in the afternoon Tali was still teaching at the school, while Shepard and Lia were at home target practicing. Lia had a natural talent with sniper rifles, and sub machine guns.

Shepard was throwing bottles in the air while she shot them without any mistake.

"Hey there little girl, you are starting to be a better shoot then Garrus."

"Well that's good, this year he will pay me 100 credits. I bet you."

"It will be fun to watch that's sure." He laughs as he throws another bottle.

"Dad! It's starting to be boring can we shot something else? I hate this."

"Not now, your mother will be home any minute, you know her. She still can't get over the fact that you are not the engineer type."

"I know..." Her voice was a little upset.

"Don't be upset dear, she still loves you, more than anything."

Then he hugged her. Her helmet wasn't on her face just the suit. She was wearing her grey coloured black stripped suit with three purple belts.

"This is so unfair..." She said with a little grim looking in his father's eyes.

"What?"

"That you're not wearing any suit, it's not even better for me, that I don't wearing my mask..."

"So you are jealous?! Don't be, you have far better life than your mother had."

"I know, but I really want to feel the sand under my feet you know..."

"You will my dear, one day."

Suddenly the door opened, Tali had arrived. She was really tired it has been a rough day. She was wearing her full suit on, with her helmet on.

"Good to see you home Tali, how was your day?"

"John... please don't ask me it was terrible... these kids are real bosh'tets"

"What happened; Mom?" Lia sat next to her mother and hugged her.

"That little bosh'tet Arle and his little pal Rolad had hacked somehow my omni tool and activated Chitika von Paws it flew around every where even shot at one of the lamps... Keelah I never shouted on a kid like today."

Lia smiled so does Shepard. Then he headed to the kitchen.

"Tali are you hungry? I can cook you something, if you would like?"

"Yes that would be great."

Later at the dining table, they had they late time lunch. Lia was a little nervous; she wanted to tell her parents something big she had decided.

"Mom, Dad... I want to tell you something... it's important..."

"What is it Lia? Did you found a boy? Or something like that?" Tali was the first one to ask.

"No, not that... I.. I.. Will join the army."

"That's a great idea Lia, maybe you could be a very famous officer, and you got talent kid." Shepard said in a proud tone.

"Shepard! She is barely an adult, the army is too dangerous for her, and besides... she doesn't even started her pilgrimage!" Tali shouted at her husband.

"Mom...I know that and I studied about it, they will let me complete my pilgrimage and after that I will become a full member of the army. And beside relax, it will be okay."

"Tali..." Shepard grabbed her hand. "She can take care of herself I guarantee you about that, so please don't be so strict."

"Fine, but promise me that you won't do stupid things like your father did!"

"Mom... I'm not even a spectre... yet!" She looked at her father and smiled while saying that.

"When will you go to enlist yourself?" Shepard asked.

"In the morning, would you like to come with me? Please."

"Sure think." He smiled.

"Khmm... as you asked, I would really like to come with you, but there is work in the school..." Tali was a little angry at Lias decision.

The next day Shepard and Lia went straight to the recruiting office. He took a sit while her daughter was so nervous she couldn't stand in one place. They waited for about 15 minutes when they finally called her.

"Greetings, young girl! So you would like to sign up to the army?"

"Yes I would..." Her voice was shy.

"Excellent! May I ask your and your parents name, and age please?"

"I am Lia'Shepard nar Rannoch... my mother is Tali'Shepard vas Normandy and my father is..."

"Wait! You are Commander Shepard's daughter?" The registrators voice was full of excitement.

"Yes she is." Shepard stepped to the man.

"It's an honour to meet you commander, and it's most pleasant that your daughter is going to join us. May I assume she has some knowledge of combat training?"

"Well, we practiced for a while now, she can shot can take cover, use medigel and things like that."

"Well that means she's got her basic training."

The man now faced Lia, who was wearing her helmet, so nobody could see that she was flattered.

"So Miss is there any weapon you prefer?"

"Well...I... really like the sniper rifle..."

"I see, well if the commander agrees with me, I may suggest you to become a member of one of our infiltration team. What do you think?"

"It... will be good. Dad what is your opinion?"

"Well its suits you the best Lia, so yes it will be good for you."

"Then everything is settled we will meet you on Monday Lia'Shepard. I will just send the camps location to your omni tool... and we are done. Have a nice day! Goodbye"

Lia already exited the room, while Shepard stayed behind and went to the man.

"Can you somehow make it possible that no one finds out that she is my daughter? I don't want that because of me she will be treated differently."

"Of course we can manage that, and I understand your concerns."

"Thank you!"

After that he left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**I really like to getting into this story so far,I will try updated as often as possible.**

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The big day has arrived. Today was the day, when Lia left her family's house and started her new life as a solder. Lia was nervous. She couldn't sleep for the past few days, Tali started to worry, but she than remembered that she was that nervous to, when her pilgrimage started.

And now was the time to say goodbye to her old life. Tali was in the house door, hugging Lia so tight that she almost run out of air. Shepard had to get out poor Lia from her mothers arms.

"Be strong, and mostly make sure everything is alright...I will miss you." Tali tried to be strong but her voice sounded like she was crying.

"I will, and I will miss you to... bye mom, I will call every time I can."

"Let's get going, they won't wait for you!" Shepard was already in the car.

Lia once more hugged and kissed her mother, and got into the car.

At first they were driving in full silence. About 10 minutes later Shepard finally started to speak.

"Lia there is something I should ask from you..." His voice was harsh.

"What is it dad?"

"After you leave this car you won't be a Shepard, I took care of it."

"But...but WHY?" She was confused about what her father had just said.

"Because...I don't want them to treat you different like the others...because of me."

"Okay, I get it. And so what is my new name?"

"I think you should use the name of the woman who saved you." A little pride was in his voice.

"Lia'Vael..." She looked at the cars floor while saying this name.

Looking back at her father, her expression was nothing that Shepard ever seen.

"I'll use her name as long as my training goes...but after that you go and tell everyone the truth! Promise me!" She almost shouted at her father.

"I promise... when your training is over, I will let everyone know that you are a Shepard."

"Thanks Dad...for everything." She kissed and smiled at her father before she put her mask on.

"And here we are, if it's not a problem I won't get out of the car...you know if someone sees me...we don't want that."

"I understand it...Bye Dad I will miss you!"

"Will miss you to sweetheart!"

She then grabbed her bag and left the car. At first she just stood there looking at the building. After noticing other girls about her age going into the building she finally managed to go in. There was a not so long line at the reception. Lia waited while almost checking the time on her Omni tool in almost every second.

"Next." It was a voice of a middle age woman.

It was her turn to get registered. Lia stepped to the table looking at the woman at the table.

"Take a sit! What is your name? Where are you from? Why are you here?"

Lia noticed that the other Quarian already had all information displayed on her Omni tool.

"My name is Lia'She... Lia'Vael... I am living with my parents in the city Neema. I...was sent here for infiltrator training since I was pretty good with snipers..."

The woman looked at her and back to her Omni tool. Lia was nervous.

_Hope father did get things done as he said._

"Well it seems that you really had some great teachers back at the Reegar academy...My reports says that both Williams and Vega officers give their world that you have talent... I hope so!"

Noticing their name Lia had calmed down. She met James and Ashley quite a lot. They were good friend with her parents. The stories they told her about were always fascinating. She had hoped to live throw some adventures like they did.

"Well you just need to sign the papers and had to get your gears. Two army envirosuit, one combat and one for training. After that head to the armoury for you basic weapons and equipment, and meet with your sergeant at the main field at 12 o'clock."

Lia nodded and she signed the pictures and headed out. While leaving the door she noticed another girl who was kind of lost there. The girl had a dark green and black suit on, her visor was dark red, not like Lias purple one. She approached the girl.

"Hey! Are you new here to?" She asked softly.

"Yes...my name is Loty...Loty'Ernys...I think I'm lost..." She was a little shy.

"Hi Loty... My name is Lia'Vael... We can go together if you would like it; I was going to grab my suit to."

Loty nodded and the two girls went to the place where they can get their suits.

"Man...Why couldn't they send us the coordination's to or Omni tool?" Loty asked.

"As I know this is also part of our training, since on the battlefield we can't get almost updates of locations so we need to learn finding them on our own."

_Man I sounded like a geek._

"Well that makes sense, but not on the first day...By the way where are you from Lia? I am from the city of Rayya named after one of the life ships the fleet had."

"Rayya is the capital city...I've never been there. I've heard it's beautiful... Ohhm of course excuse me... I am from Neema. A city next to the ocean. My mother always wanted to live near a beach." She smiled as remembering her home.

Loty looked up at Lia and her voice started to be full with joy.

"So you live in the city where Shepard lives? Wooahh have you ever see him or Tali his bond mate? I must be very exciting to live near some legends."

Lia was in a little awkward situation, knowing that how famous her family was.

_Know I truly understand fathers concerns about people knowing who I am._

Finally she responds to Loty.

"Well yes... you could say like I see them almost everyday... They are living not far from me and Tali even taught me when I was little."

"That's so cool Keelah... We will be good friend I can tell you that." She let a smirk out as she said that.

"Well I hope so."

_What will Loty say, if I tell her the truth that I am their daughter? Maybe she might faint._

Finally they found the building and got their suit. A man about the same age as the receptionist handed them the suit plus an army Omni tool.

"Now this one is your training suit and this is for combat. Behind you is the clean room, you must change to your training suit and head to the armoury!"

They both nodded. And they went to get changed. The suits colours where almost the same as Lias, but she noticed that, it had camouflages on it and the belts were grey like the rest. It was much more comfort that she thought it will be.

She got everything up waited a little for Loty and they both headed to the armoury. Lotys suit was just the same as hers except for a little nameplate had her name on it.

At the armoury they finally got their weapons also with some other stuff.

Loty got a Javelin 2 sniper rifle, and a Reegar Carbine, while Lia got a Black Widow and Gerrel Smg. She never saw anything like the Gerrel. It looked like a mixture of the old Geth plasma Smg with the Reegar Carbine. It was fascinating.

Both of the girls got some batteries that they had to insert in they suits. It was the main element for they cloak. They really enjoyed being invisible for a while, but stopped playing with the device and headed to the meeting.

Everybody was already there when they finally arrived, quickly got into position, when the sergeant arrived.

The sergeant was a female Quarian, about 35-40 years old. She had some medals mostly from the Geth War. She looked at the new recruits and stood right in front of them.

"My name is Lora'Eray vas Naam. I've been infiltrating since the Geth War, also fought on Earth with the united forces. For the start I only have one rule. Everybody works nobody is lazy; if that ever happens I shot it myself. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" Everyone said it as one.

"Excellent! Now I will read out your names and assign to your barracks."

After 20 minutes Lia was finally in her bed in her new room, they were 10 of them in the same room. Luckily Loty was assigned to her quarters so for the first few days she had someone to speak to. She looked at her new military Omni tool she used one like this, her mothers. But that was different mainly because that one was mainly for engineers not like this. Her new one slightly resembles aunt Kasumis, the cloaking application and these other ones.

She spend hours with her new tool, even send a messages to home for her mother and father, that everything is alright. She already missed them. After sending the messages she finally fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

It has been a week now, since Lia had gone to the training camp. 6 days since she send her last message. Tali was once again reading it, this helped her with the pain that she felt since her daughter had gone.

_Hi Mom and Dad,_

_Everything is so nice here. We had got two beautiful suits, and a new Omni tool. I have already started to make friends. Me making friends! I hope I won't screw it up. By the way, when someone finds out that I am from Neema they start to ask about the two of you... It's a little annoying. Again thanks dad for the false name, thanks to that I can be like any other in here. Oh I totally forgot they already gave us weapons, and a cloak devise. Tell Garrus that I have a Black Widow and a Gerrel Smg._

_I should go! Will write when have time for it._

_Love and miss you both!_

_Lia,_

Every time when she reached the end of the letter a low whisper was always leaving her lips.

"We miss you to, please be safe."

She then turned to the other side of the bed seeing Shepard sleeping. She stroked his hair and smiled. She kissed his lips, but he didn't wake up for that.

_Well at least the house is just for the two of us now. _

She got up from the bed, put up her dress and headed to the balcony. The view of the stars shining on the sky, and the soft noise as the oceans water waves made her very relaxed.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" Shepard grabbed her hips from behind.

"Yes it is... after so many years I still can hardly image that all of it is true... I am living on the homeworld and mostly with you."

"I do everything to make my second favourite Quarian happy." He said it with a smirk.

"Why just second, so how is the first one? I noticed how you looked at Xen the last time..." Her voice was full of teas.

"Well you almost got me... For the record I was looking at your auntie... She is the best."

"No John, please leave auntie Raan out of our play... you know she hasn't been very well for the past few weeks..." Her voice started to get sad.

Shepard turned her to finally be able to see in Talis eyes. Tali was now 42 and not a single sign of aging has started to show on her face. Her silvering eyes glowed in the night with her purple skin as tears went through her face. Tears of happiness. Shepard kissed her lips and stroked her hips and her back.

"I'm sorry Tali, please forgive me... You know that you are the love of my life, the most expensive diamond in the whole universe. I love you forever with my heart and soul."

They kissed and hugged for a while, until Tali just started to look into his eyes.

"If the other favourite Quarian of yours is our Lia, then I have a present for you..." She bit her lips after this.

"Well she is of course...So what is my present?"

"You know John... The house is just ours now, so... go and make a bath for the two of us."

"As you wish my lady."

As soon as he said that, Shepard was already in the house and making the bath for they romantic time. After he had left Tali stared a little while on the sky, thinking of Lia.

_I hope you doing well dear!_

At the camp Lia was on her bed, finally the first week of training was over. She had been so exhausted from the training that she always slept the whole nights. Today was different, she somehow couldn't sleep. She remembered over and over again what her training officer had just said.

"Tomorrow we will make a contest, who will be the most accurate and fastest will be promoted, to squad leader!"

_A squad leader! Dad will be so proud of me; even mom will understand that I will be fine here... I wish they would be here... I miss them so much._

She opened her Omni tool and looked at a picture a picture of her family. There was Tali, Shepard, Garrus, Liara, Raan, Joker, EDI, Kasumi, even Wrex and Grunt were in the picture. Looking it she noticed that how little she was when this picture was taken.

_When we are going to have a leave I definitely ask mom and dad to organize another party with some of the old crew._

After that she finally felt asleep.

The next morning she was really full of excitement, not just because she could be a squad leader, but if she got promoted she will earn a plus week shore leave.

The door opened Lora'Eray entered the room beside two other officer.

"Everybody get up! Today is the big they for one of you! The competition will be held in an hour from now. Everyone has just one change to prove them. Now get your gear and head to the training field."

At the field they went to the target building, when Lora stopped, and continued her briefing.

"Okay this is your objective. We have a 4 communication beacon inside the structure. You have 5 minutes to find and activate them without being detected. There are about a dozen elite marines inside the building. The fastest one will be promoted. Good luck!"

Lia was the 7th on in the row, she was nervous. When it was finally her turn she was already activating her cloak, only about 35 seconds have passed and the first beam was already active another minute later she was already near the 3rd one. She started to activate it when she heard some noise. Quickly she was already hiding when the guard passed by her. A little later all 3 was active now just the 4th and final one was left. She passed 4 guards by with her cloak on, and entered the room. Near the beam she activated it successfully. Only thing left was get out from the building in less than 30 seconds. She run down the stairs with her cloak on, at almost near the exit something bad happened. Her Omni tool started to beep and a little later it overloaded, uncloaking her, making her visible for everybody. She panicked a little, but still headed to the exit. She finally escaped the building, completing her mission only about 2,5 minutes.

Heading back to the group Loty noticed that there was something wrong.

"What's the problem Lia?"

"My Omni tool it overloaded, and I almost get caught..."

"Give it to me; I might take a look at it."

"Okay, and thanks."

She then handed her tool to Loty, who already started to check out the problems.

After a little, the last one had finished the mission. Only 4 were caught. Lora was pleased about the achievements.

"Okay, we now announce our winner. Lia'Vael with less then 2 and a half minute, you have become the new squad leader. Congratulations! Everyone head back to the barracks. Keelah se'lai."

During the trip back to the barracks, everyone congratulated Lia. Suddenly someone grabbed her shoulder. It was Loty. She was holding her Omni tool and waited to the others get away from them.

"What is it Loty, is something wrong?" Lia was confused.

"Lia'Vael...or may I say Lia'Shepard?!" Her voice was a little sarcastic.

"How...how did you find it out?"

Loty shacked the Omni tool in her hand.

"Keelah! You... Loty... I will explain..." So was nervous, like never before.

"You don't need to I get it why you didn't tell it anyone, but... but I taught we were friends...you could at least told it to me..."

"I am sorry... I will tell you now than. My father is Shepard, and my mother is Tali, I am they only child. Just please let keep it as a secret!"

"Let's make a deal. You will tell me some stories about your parents and it will be a secret."

"Deal...and Loty, if you really keep your promise, I might invite you to us during shore leave."

Lotys jaw dropped as she heard that. She could meet with two legends.

"Thanks Lia, you are truly a good friend."

"Now come on, we don't want to get late!"

And they went back to the others.


	4. Chapter 4

**This one is a little shorter than the others, but I will try to make more longer ones. Hope you guys enjoye it so far. I have a lot of more in this story to come.**

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"So in the picture you could see most of fathers' old crew. That is uncle Garrus dads' best friend. Next to him are Joker and EDI. Joker was the Normandys pilot while EDI was originally the ships illegal AI, that installed herself into a robot body, and that's the funny part, she and Joker became a couple."

Loty was listening like a little child. It was midnight everyone was sleeping beside them. Lia started to feel a little tired. It was a rough day for her.

"Loty... Let's get some sleep. I will talk to mom tomorrow; inform her about my status and the date of our shore leave. Plus I'll tell her about my plans for that time."

"Okay, I was getting tired as well...but you know those stories you told me, were fascinating."

Lia looked at the window, and back to Loty.

"Yeah they are. Good night Loty."

"You to, Lia."

At the morning they headed to the mess. Both of them had some protein tube, with some water, that was all they breakfast. Lia and Loty were chatting about random stuff, when someone approached them.

"Hi...sorry to interrupt you two...can I sit here?" She was very shy.

"Sure... what's your name? By the way I'm Lia and she is Loty."

"I'm Dari...Dari'Koxan..." She sat next to them.

She looked at Lia then after a little she finally spoke to her.

"Lia, I saw what you did yesterday... Keelah, I want to be half as good as you...then I couldn't feel like being a total lost..."

"Don1t worry Dari, you will be as good as all of us, now let's eat!" And they both inserted they tubes to their helmets, and eat there pasta.

"Fuuu... How could our parents eat this disgusting thing all the time?

"Loty! Stop complaining we will have only this at the field during missions, so just get used to it." Lia just sounded like her father.

"Hold on Lia... i know just...I'm glad we can eat normally now that's all."

"Sorry... I am just a little tired... Keelah I am so glad my shore leave starts tomorrow."

"Yeah you lucky bosh'tet... but don't forget what have you promised me!"

"I won't!"

Dari was looking at them silently.

"What did you promised?" She finally asked.

"Well Dari, my friend Lia will invite me over her house, to meet her family." Loty said with a lot of pride.

"I see... I hope you have fun..." Her voice was a little sad.

"Is there a problem Dari?" Lia asked in her softly voice.

"Well since our training has started I haven't really talked to anybody...I am a little bit shy... During shore leave I don't know what will I do, my parent live far away from here in Moreh."

"I see... Hey I have an idea." Loty now turn to Lia.

"Lia, my dear friend, can Dari come to you as well as me? Please..."

Lia hesitated a little then she just nodded.

"Thank you... Really thank you, I will look forward to it!" Dari was full of happiness.

After finishing their meal they split up. Loty and Dari headed to the gym for some exercise, while Lia went straight to the comm. area. For the first time since her training started, this was an opportunity to call her parents.

She shined her medal. Being a squad leader made her proud of herself. She stepped to the cabin, and activated the tool. She used secured channel to avoid any detection of who she called. After a little waiting, they answered her call. It was Tali on the picture. When she noticed her daughter she jumped a little out of her excitement. After a little she finally calmed down and spoke to her child.

"Hi Lia, It's good to see you! How are you? Is everything okay? When will you come home?"

Tali wasn't wearing her mask, thanks to that Lia noticed that tears were in her eyes, as she talked to her. Noticing that her mother cried made her sad, even though it was tears of happiness.

"I am okay mom, everything is fine. I even have some friends here."

"Ohhh sweetie that's great, and any boy, or someone special?"

"Mooommmmm..." She said with a little awkwardness in her voice.

"Sorry Lia, and why do you called exactly?"

"I will have a little leave not so far from now... and I want to ask a favour."

"What is it?"

"Well I looked at the old picture when your friends were here and I thought we should make it again... So could you and father arrange that? For me!?"

"Well...we could call for them...but Lia! You have been in training for just 2 weeks now who is this even possible? The first leave is after 3 week, only if you..." Her voice was cut in half, when she noticed the medal on her breast.

Lia stood proudly when her mother noticed it.

"Yes mom. I have been promoted to squad leader."

"Keelah...I am so proud of you; even your father will be pleased to hear that."

"Sure he will, by the way...Where is he?"

"Ohh he left to the Citadel, some issue happened, you know... Since the Admiralty board decided to send Xen as councillor so she won't make any attempt to create new Geths. She was always causing trouble."

"I see..." A little disappointment was in her voice.

"I will inform him as he arrives back, is there something else you want to tell me or this is all?"

"No, I want to tell him...and mom? I will like to invite some of my friends to the party. If it's possible?"

"Sure no problem! Your friends are always welcome here."

"Thanks. I should go! Love you mom!"

"You just start to sound like your father...See you later sweetheart. Keelah se'lai!" And she ended the call.


	5. Chapter 5

**Not much conversation in this one, hope you like it.**

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After the line went dead Tali had put up her Omni tool and started to organize a get together with the old crew. She was thinking about a party too. Seeing the old crew was something she always enjoyed. Even Garrus. After all those years they spent together on the Normandy she somehow never got over about her first impression about him. About how arrogant he was about her people, how he joked about her armour and her immune system. Later he apologized a lot about how stupid he was during that time, but that wasn't that easy. She never liked him, only respected him, and that was something more.

Her Omni tool signed as she got a mail, from Shepard in which he agreed and even offered his help during the preparations. She started to send the invitations, the party will be held 8 days from today, so they will have a lot of time, to prepare everything as necessary.

First she sends the invitation, to her long time best friend Kasumi. Kasumi was like a sister to her, both of them loved tech and mostly she reminded her about her mother. The last time they met was about 5 years ago or more, she can't remember correctly. Even though they were best friends and spooked to each other almost every week on phone. Kasumi hasn't seen her face. Only Shepard, Lia and auntie Raan had seen her without mask.

_Maybe this time I will show her my face, she deserves it._

After Kasumi she invited EDI and Joker they both responded immediately accepting the invite. Since after the war of homecoming many Quarians hated AIs a lot of them even hated every other species. Everyone except from; Humans. After the war with the Reapers the two specie became a very stable ally to each other. Humans help with their army and architecture and infrastructure, while Quarians gave many technical improvements to them.

They family was a symbol of it, there were times went some politicians even pursued them to adopt a Human child to, but John always disagreed with them.

Her eyes looked at Liaras name. After the war she and Javik had written a book, about her experiences with the Prothean. The book was a galaxy wide success and made a well know person. Tali was always jealous about she, but what she learned about Liara all her jealousy flew away. Because after the book was published she and Javik became in an intimate relationship. She even confessed Tali, that what she really liked about Shepard was the fact the he had some kind of Prothean in him after the beacons he used. Liara still was the Shadow broker, and her bond-mate Javik was the leader of the broker's private army.

She accepted the invite along with Javik.

Next ones in the line were Ashley, James, Wrex and Grunt.

Among her people both Ashley and James were much respected for they efforts on helping train they army. Tali didn't worry about the two Krogan as well; no one would ever speak out about them.

The last name was Garrus on the list. Tali didn't really know what to do. The last time he was here it didn't ended up well. During the party he got really drunk, and his way back to his hotel room some younger Quarian attacked him. The frustration of the past was still living in the Quarians, mostly towards the Turians. The Turians were the ones who was the most rude to them during they exile. The hate world suit-rat was even invited by some Turian back in the old days.

Even Xen had been called by that during her work on the Citadel. She always caused some trouble mostly about legalizing AI research. She was the one who even helped restore EDI after the Crucible. But she was always alone; her main opposition was the Turian councillor Vegrul. He once called her suit-rat and made a very bad diplomatic incident. For a few years the Quarians boycotted all Turian marketing in Rannoch.

Remembering on these past events Tali didn't know what to do with Garrus.

_Let John decide this!_

Sadly some of the members were not available to invite. Like Zaeed, who died a few years back. She didn't know much detail about it, but he died peacefully and that was that all matters. Jack was in prison, after she killed 3 thugs who mugged one of her student. Samara the Asari justicar was finally in her Matriarch stage living deep in Asari space, being a well respected member of her people.

Lia was heading to the movie theatre there was some kind of education movie shown, about the history of the army. She was excited. At the door she meet up with Loty and Dari.

"Hey Lia! I was just telling Dari about some tricks with the Omni tool, where have you been?"

"Just talked to mom. And before you ask, yes you two are welcomed to the party I will send you the details later."

Both Dari and Loty looked at each other and they nodded. Then the three of then entered the room.

The movie was about how Rannoch looked before the Geth rebellion, and it showed video footages about the massacres that the Geth committed. Showing the numbers of dead, and seeing the picture of the oceans covered in blood made the room cold. Some had started to cry some just sat in shock. Lia was shattered at the number. 13billion of her people were killed by the machines. Old, woman and children were slaughtered by the Geth.

After that the movie focused on the life on the Flotilla living day by day, fighting for survivor. And the end showed the war that changed everything. At the end of the vid there was her mother and father. The heroes of her people.

In the room cheering was loudly heard when they were shown. Lia felt to be very proud of her parents. Seeing this Loty poked her arm, and let a little grim at her friend.

After leaving they all talked about the movie.

"Those fucking synthetics glad they all gone. Keelah if Shepard wasn't there we would be dead or somewhere on the flotilla." Loty said while looking at Lia.

"Yeah, but let us learn from the past..." Lia responded.

"I would so like to meet Shepard and Tali..." Dari said it like a wish.

Loty looked at her then she faced Lia, through her visor Lia could see that her friend was smiling as she turned to Dari.

"I think you will meet them, and not so far from now." And she left.

"What did she mean?"

"Well...uhhmm maybe Shepard will attempt at our graduation? I don't know..." Her voice was nervous.

A little later at dinner she sat alone, she wanted to feel the solitude of her own. As she put her food tube in her mask, she listened to the news on her Omni tool.

_The Quarian government announced that the recolonisation program will be fully operational from the next months. Several old and new planets will be colonized. Since the new self made relays operating with success we find 10 new inhabitable worlds not so long ago. The army will provide support with the settling._

She finished her meal, and started to imagine. Thinking about what could be happening back at home. What are her mother and father doing. Suddenly she started to see pictures of herself. Pictures were she was on one of the colony helping the people, getting well with her friends...and with someone to love.

Seeing her parents strong love she always dreamed about to have someone same with her. Someone how could see through her mask. Since reclaiming there homeworld Quarian immune system had become stronger, but they still had to wear they suit and mask when going into public. That is why there weren't so many restaurant or pubs. Most of these businesses only made food for deliver. For eating there they only gave tubes to the customers.

She then headed back to the barracks, to get her things together. Shore leave starts tomorrow!


	6. Chapter 6

Steeping out from the camps entrance Lia hold her breath. Freedom at last, no more nutrient pasta from a tube. She could taste her mother's meal again and for the best part, take of her dam helmet. Steeping outside to the street she runs into a group of children, they were all without their masks. From a few years now children has to be taken outside for bolstering their immune system. According to some of their scientist and a few Salarian researchers with this method they will be able to live a full suitless life on Rannoch. Unfortunately for the older ones this will be just a dream, they could only live suitless in their own houses.

Lia hasn't told her parents when she was arriving home, so she wasn't in a hurry. Walking down the sideway she noticed that how much their life has change. Thanks to her parents. Every time she thought about it she always felt pride but she also got nervous. She will never be like they were. Heroes, not just the saviour of the Quarian race, but also the saviour of the galaxy.

_Well at least I could be the best infiltrator. _She smiled as she heard this sentence in her head.

She now was next to the Triumph of Heroes. A huge wall covered by the names of the ships and they crew members, who sacrificed themselves in the war. Five hundred seventy six thousand names were written on it, with about 93 ships name included. She stood there for a while honouring the memory of the fallen. As she looked at the ground with one hand on the wall the other next to her body she whispered a little pray for they souls.

"Ancients please accept our heroes into your embrace let all of their souls find peace on the homeworld skies! Keelah se'lai!"

Finally she found a taxi station where se booked a cab near to her house. Unlike in other planets on Rannoch the taxis had they own drivers. Since the fear of another rebellion, only minimum synthetic present were on the cities of Rannoch.

She sat next to the driver. The driver was a man, quite a young one, probably 22. He should be on pilgrimage, or maybe he is on it? Since the homecoming there were a few Quarians who stayed on the homeworld during their pilgrimage. Mostly staying on another continent, helping with things. There were a lot of argument among the conclave of what to do with this tradition. Let it be like it was, or forget about it, like it was a memory of the bad past. The past that so many wanted to forget, but there were others who wanted it to be known forever. She liked the idea of her own one. The stories Tali had told her, she always liked it. And she hoped. Hoped that maybe she has the luck like her mother, to find someone to love.

"Military?" The boy asked.

He was wearing a black and yellow suit, his visor was orange. He looked like a bee. Bee was some kind of insect that father told about. She always wanted to see Earth, but Shepard had bad memories from it, and that's why they never visited.

"Yes... 6th infiltrator regiment...I am a squad leader."

"Nice, congratulation. By the way names Pel...Pel'Theran. Nice to meet you?"

Lia hesitated first should she use her real name, or her false one? The driver asked a lot of questions already, she don't want to talk to him.

"Lia...Lia'Vael... Nice to meet you to Pel"

He nodded that she wasn't into talking. The rest of the trip went in full silence.

After 12 minutes of full silence, they finally arrived.

"Here we are. It will be 30 credits, but since you are military I will just ask for 15." His voice was charming.

Lia gave him 20 credits and went straight to her house.

The street was dead during that time of the day. Many people had still working, and the children were at the kindergarten or at school. Since the massive baby boom that happened during the past few decades Quarian schools have always run low on manpower. Some class were even had about 50 students in them.

She finally arrived at their house. The house that her father built after the Great War. It wasn't a different house most of the building seemed to be the same. Mostly because of the lack of time during the construction. The house shown signs of old Quarian architecture with many Human elements. During they exile only just little elements of Quarian blueprints survived time. She stepped to the door it was closed. She knocked for a few times, but nobody answered.

_They are not here. Might I just go in and wait for them inside._

She typed in the password and entered the house. She trough her bag next to the entrance and headed upstairs. The only thing she wanted to do right now was to get to her bed and lay down on it. To hug her favourite Hanar toy, the she used to sleep with when she was little. She missed everything so much; she just wanted to be with them. As she headed up, she noticed some strange sounds coming from one of the room. She became curious. The voices came from her parents' bedroom. She stepped closer and opened the door.

"Honey, you have arrived?"

Both Shepard and Tali were in the bed making love. As they noticed this they quickly ducked under the blanket. As noticing this Lia shocked a bit. She never ever caught her parents during their intimae times, she was really embarrassed.

"Yeah...Well...I...I should go to my room and wait...wait for you to...you know...finish...Keelah I'm sorry..."

She then headed to her room, about 2 minutes later Shepard has arrived and hugged her beloved child. He smiled at her mask.

"Well you could at least knock, you know?"

"I knocked for a hundred time so please don't remind me about...it!"

"Your mother and I we...we were just fighting nothing serious, I swear!"

"Dad! I am 18 not some stupid little children; I know what you two exactly DID so please leave this topic of! Okay?"

"Okay, so uhhmm...It's so good to see you!"

Tali entered the room her suit was back on, even her mask was back. She was really embarrassed that is why she put it on, knowing that her daughter caught her having sex with Shepard was something she always tried to avoid. She finally hugged her little Lia as how she started to name her since she gone to training.

"Lia I...I am so sorry...please forgive me...I am ashamed that what have you witnessed...we...weren't doing anything...that..." Lia cut her sentence as she hugged her mother.

She finally takes of her mask, smiling both of her parents. Tali did the same. Lia kissed her mother and her father hugging them again.

"Mom, is there something to eat and it isn't in a tube?" She was really hungry for some real meal.

"Sure I will make one for you right now, with the help of your father! Am I right John?"

"Well...yes yes you are, just a moment and I will be right you just go ahead."

"It's always funny watching how mom teases you dad." Lia smiled at her father, and they hugged again.

"I can't resist she posses me always with her love. We will make the meal quick so you have the whole day to tell us what happened."

"Sounds fun, I should let you go then."

While having their meal she told them about her friends, about her promotion, and about that vid they saw. Both of her parents smiled while listening to the stories.

"We are so proud of you, Lia!" Tali sad, after that she focused on Shepard.

"John, about the party I send most of the invitations, except for Lias friends and for Garrus... I don't know it John; I just don't want him to get into trouble like last time." She holds his hands.

"There won't be a problem, I swear! We will keep the hard liquor hidden, and only let him go out with someone else. Everything will be okay." He smiled back at Tali.

"Ohh I haven't thought about that, well than I will send the invitation to him right now...Thanks John!"

"I will then send the invitations to Loty and Dari than. So 1 week from now am I right?" Lia asked her parents.

"Yes, and we are really looking forward to meet your friends dear." Tali responded with her soft voice.

"Okay then, and if you two excuse me I am really tired I will just go and have a sleep. See you tomorrow. Good night!"

"Good night!" Shepard and Tali said.

After she left the room Shepard turned to Tali.

"Round 2?" He asked with a big smile on his face.

"You bosh'tet... just round 2? Let it be round 3 and 4 plus."

"I love you Tali." 


	7. Chapter 7

Loty and Dari were very excited about the party. They were walking to Lias house in such a hurry way. Loty was nervous about meeting some legends who she only saw on vids, but today she will be socializing with them. She wanted everything to be very good. On the other hand Dari was nervous, because she has never been to a party. She never experience meeting a bunch of strangers at the same time.

"Here we are!" Said Loty as she checked the address.

"What a big house Lia is living in, and it's seems like we are the first ones to arrive."

Loty opened her Omni tool and called Lia. After a minute she answered her call.

"Hi Lia, we are here, please let us in."

"Just be a moment I will put up my mask, as does mother."

Finally she opened the door, there were nobody else just her in the door. Both of the girls hugged her, and they waited.

"Well oohh mom will be right here, and dad is in the garden setting up chairs and making fireplace."

Dari noticed a lot of medals were displayed in the house, she was curious about them, so she asked Lia.

"Lia...are your family some kind of military? There is a lot of medals here, some of them I didn't even recognise."

"Well kind of like that...you will figure it out in time, a promise."

"That one I am sure about it!" Said; Loty.

Suddenly a voice came down from the upper floor, as Tali headed down the stairs.

"Lia'Shepard, how many times do I have to tell you that..." Her voice was cut as she noticed the other two girl were staring at her.

"Lia'Shepard? But... but you said you are Lia'Vael? What is this Lia?" Dari was confused.

"Well it's a secret in the camp, yes I am Lia'shepard... and Dari, Loty, this is my mother Tali'Shepard vas Normandy! Mom she is Loty'Ernys nar Rayya and she is Dari'Koxen nar Moreh." She hugged her mother with pride.

"I was born on the Rayya to, both I guess in your case its stands for the capital city..." Talis voice was friendly.

"I knew it! I knew it! And yes its stands for the city" Was Lotys only reaction.

"I...I am a little bit confused ma'am it is a honour meeting one of our...heroes." Dari was extremely shy.

"The honour is mine Dari, Lia talked so much about both of you. It is good to know the my daughter finally has some friends."

"You...welcome I guess, may I ask, the where is the commander?"

"Like I said Dari; dad is in the garden preparing for the party!" Lia shacked her hand in front of Daris mask.

"Yes I forgot about it...sorry."

"Who will be here too?" Loty asked.

"Well most of the old crew and maybe Admiral Raan and Korris." Tali answered in her usual soft voice.

"That's so cool" Was Lotys answer.

"Keelah... this is just a dream...is it?" Dari was very sceptical about the whole thing.

Suddenly John got back to the house; he hugged Tali from the back, placing his face on her shoulder. He smiled on the girls.

"So you two are Dari and Loty I presume?" His tone was very friendly.

Both of the girls looked at each other's finally Loty steeped forward to greet one of the living legends in the universe.

"My name is Loty'Ernys nar Rayya. It's a honour to meet you Commander!"

"Please call me Shepard, and I guess the other pretty lady is Dari am I right?"

"Yeah...yes I...I am Dari...Dari'Koxen nar Moreh."

"Nice to meet you...both of you. It's an honour to finally meet my precious little girls' friends. Please make your self's at home! I should go back to the fire."

And he left them, going back to the garden.

After a while most of the guest had arrived. The two girls were shocked about the experiences. Seeing these people in real would be a bit of shock but to be in a party with them, was something far behold their imagination.

As Shepard promised he didn't let Garrus drink much, so he and Lia were making a sniping challenge. It always ended up in a tie.

"Damm it girl...you starting to get better...maybe one day you will beat me!"

"It will be soon Garrus, you could count on it!"

"Well as soon as I lost one of my arm and eye...but I rather won't count on that."

"Sure..." Lia responded in a bit of sarcastic tone.

"Hey Lia... Are your friends as good as you at this?"

"Well I don't really know, why don't you asked them?"

Garrus nodded and went straight to the two girls.

"Khhmm...Hey ladies I was wonder if any of you want to shoot with us, it's a little boring with Lia...don't tell her."

They looked at each other for a moment and nodded. For about an hour the four of them shoot almost all empty bottles in the house, and ended up, with some pretty sweet moments.

Finally EDI and Joker had arrived. When noticing the robot the girls were a little scared, all that tales, and that video about what the Geth were like made them very uncomfortable with robots especially one with AIs.

"I am aware that we haven't met yet." Said EDI in here synthetic voice.

"No... we haven't..." Both the girls said it with a shock in they voice.

"I have detected some fear in both of you...please do not fear this unit is not capable of any harm."

"Thank you EDI."

The last ones to arrive were Raan and Korris. Both were really exhausted working as Admirals wasn't easy.

"Raan...Korris! Good to see you both!" Shepard and Tali hugged Raan, and shacked Korris hand.

"Pleasure seeing both of you and your daughter, but we are here because there is something serious going on, Shepard, Tali we need to speak to both of you...in private."

They nodded and went to a place far away from the others.

"What happened Admirals?" Shepard asked.

"It's Han'Gerrel... we noticed that he has changed." Said Raan.

"What exactly did you mean?" Tali was the one to speak now.

"He started to speak about, that we need to be stronger than ever, we need to take back our glory and to be even bigger than we were before. With the help of the new relays we found lot of world that we could colonize..." Said Raan.

"And I don't see any bad about this?" Shepard said.

"Yes, that's true, but he also started to say, that the conclave and the admiralty board are all useless, that they are only obstacles before what he started to call a 'Quarian Empire'." Korris said with terror in his voice.

"So he wants to be a dictator?"

"We fear that, but since we live in peaceful time no one listens to him very much, but we should keep an eye on him." Raan said.

"Understood, we will help you if you find anything." Shepard said and they headed back to the party.

"Ohh and where is your daughter Lia? We have some news for her." Korris said it with joy.

"I call her right here!"

Lia arrived with her rifle in her hands.

"Yes dad what is it? Ohh hi granny Raan, and hi Korris."

"Good to see you my child!" Raan hugged her.

"Yes good to see you Lia, I have some news to you."

"What news Korris?"

"In the next month we will establish one of our new colonize at the other side of our new relay. On the planet Klendatu. We will need some unit there to help with what is needed. And as Admiral I offer you a position there with a squad of your own. Do you accept it?"

"Yes! Yes! Both can my friends come with me? I really want them to be with me, if you understand that..." She said while looking at the two girls who were playing with Garrus.

"Yes, if you want that, as Admiral we could easily make that possible. So everything good? Good. From a month from now you and your squad will be in Klendatu."


	8. Chapter 8

**So yeah, the main adventure starts now, hope you guys like it =)**

* * *

Klendatu was just like Rannoch. It had many deserts and jungles, but there were fewer oceans. The temperature was a little warmer than at home. This planet was Lias home for more than a month now. The building of the first settlement was right on track. The medical facilities along with the agricultural units have been completed; there was a bright future for this colony.

Heading to check out the settlement Lia had run into Loty. Loty was helping coordinate the building of the local regimental camp. The whole of the 6th infiltration Regiment and two teams of marines were stationed on Klendatu.

The colony's population was about 20000 people. The main purpose of this colony was to be the centre of the new relays' transport. The conclave ordered the colonist to about 10 years from now they have to reach a population about 100 000 and maintain the growing.

Loty had noticed Lia, and she left her post giving the duties to one of the marines.

"Hi Lia! I have a little break so you want to cache a snack? We just got some flavoured nutrient paste."

"Yeah sure thing, I was just about to get a little hungry. Have you seen Dari? She could join us to."

"Ohhh she is with her lover, you know... that marine guy."

"Really? I didn't know about it..."

"Come on, it's so obvious! How she looks at him and she always talks about the marines...especially one of them..."

"Well I hope she will find her bond-mate in him, but she has got about 9 years to get minimum 3 children, so she could wait for it."

"Yes, that stupid law..." Loty was upset.

"Well we most breed to maintain our species, and since our numbers are few, we must have a lot of children."

"How many do you want, Lia?"

"I don't know really... since I was a lonely child, I never had a brother or a sister, just mom and dad and Kasumi... so yeah maybe about 8 or 10. You know that since we are in the military we will give us a free house after our service ends. So that won't be a problem, I just need to...need to find myself a bond-mate." She looked down at the ground.

"Well I am sure you will find him, now come on let's continue are little chat while we having something to eat, shall we?"

They went to the mess hall, and continued chatting.

Dari was next to the barracks she was standing there for more than an hour now. She was waiting. Waiting for herself, for gather enough courage to talk to Him! And there he was Hilor'Vannis vas Upanni. Every time Dari saw him, her heart started to beat faster and faster. She was in love with Hilor, no one would have questioned that, but did he felt the same? This was the time for her to ask him. That is why she was so nervous, but she had to do it.

"Uhhhmmm...Hilor? You got a minute?"

"Yes Dari of course. What can I do for you?" He said in a friendly tone.

"I wanted to ask you something...yeah something..."

"And what did you wanted to ask?"

"Well would you like to go for a dinner... I understand if you won't...just..."

"Sure I would like to...very much, honestly I wanted to tell you something, but I thing that dinner time will be the best for it. I should go, I have some guard duty. See you at dinner!"

"Yes I can't wait for it! Bye Hilor..."

It was 8 o'clock at night. Dari and Hilor were just meeting next to the canteen. Dari started to enter the building when Hilor grabbed her arm.

"Before we eat I would like to have a walk, if you don't mind?"

"I...I don't mind it is a great idea! Let's go then!"

So they headed away just the two of them. They were next to a cliff.

"Dari, I wanted to tell you something."

"What is it Hilor?" Dari looked up at his mask.

"The thing is Dari, that I think I have some feelings towards you, but I don't know... do you feel the same?"

"Yes...well yes..." She grabbed his hands, and they hugged.

Suddenly there was some kind of a noise. Both of them looked up. There was a ship a big one up in the sky.

"Is it one of our ships? I don't recognize it..." Said Dari, while looking at the ship.

"No it is definitely not ours... We should warn the others come on!"

They started to run to the main camp looking behind their shoulders every minute. The big ship, probably a frigate had detached a few shuttles that had landed not far from them.

After about 3 minutes of forced running, both of them caught their breath. Finally Hilor steeped to the emergency console and started a wide care emergency. Lia was the first one to arrive.

"What happened, Dari what is going on?" She asked her voice was worried.

"We..we were talking a little walk, when...when there was a ship...an unknown ship...it started to deploy not far from here...I have never seen such thing in my life..." She tried to catch her breath while talking.

"Hilor, gather your team! Dari send a message to the other camps! We will check this out!"

Both of them nodded and headed to their place.

_My first action, hope it won't be a total lost..._

As she finished her thoughts everybody was already in position. Lia was the leader of the local camp.

"Okay everybody listen up! We have been noticed some unknown forces had landed near our position; assume hostility since we don't know who they are, or what they want!"

Some of her men had faced each others; a little fear was in the air. Lia noticed that and continued her speech.

"First the infiltrator team will head out, from a distance we will look what or who are our visitors are. Right behind us the marine will be. In case something wrong will happen we need them. Everyone check your weapons and clips, hope that we won't need to use them. Everything is clear? Everybody move out!"

They reached the cliff where not so long ago Dari and Hilor told their feelings to each other. The time was on the ground. Dari and Loty were right next to Lia. Dari was looking at her Omni tool, for any message from the other part of the forces. While Lia and Loty were scouting the area.

"Look! What the hell is that thing?" Loty poked her friends arm, with confusion in her tone.

"Keelah...I don't know... they look like some kind of insects but on two legs..."

They scouted around more on the unknown aliens camp, when suddenly one of them noticed them. It started to move on them, it had some kind of wings, but couldn't fly with them in high only about 20 centimetres from the ground.

"Fire, everyone fire at that bosh'tet!" Lia ordered her team.

Suddenly fire had rapid from the guns, the sniper rifles took out most of the hostiles in the outside. When no more of them were alive, Lia ordered the marines to search the camp.

Hilor with 7 other men had walked to the enemy compound. They searched the bodies. The enemy was about 1, 5 metre tall with green skin, it had some kind of wings on its back, like a fly there was a tentacle kind of organ on there faces, that had to be their mouths. The eyes very big like a Salarians eye. They had four fingers.

Hilor ordered 3 of his men to guard outside while he with the others searches the shuttle.

Lia informed the high command about this incident; they responded and made sure to send reinforcements to them.

Suddenly a voice came from the camp.

"Ma'am we find one alive!"


	9. Chapter 9

The interrogation room was small and dark. Only just a little light were there. The alien was still unconscious. Many marines were guarding the room in and out. Lia was reporting to the high command the Admiralty board about what had happened last night.

"So if your reports are correct Lia'Shepard...then you and your team had encountered some kind of unknown race?" Shala'Raan questioned her.

"Yes Admiral! Two of my men were having a little night leave when they noticed an unknown vessel, according to them mostly a frigate on the sky that has dropped some kind of a shuttle. They run towards us at that moment." 

"Do you really think that it was needed to attack them?" Zaal'Korris was the one to speak.

"Korris don't be such a whining suit-wetter like you always are... Lia'Shepard had made the right call." Han'Gerrel had cut into Korris sentence.

"If I can speak Admirals the safety of my men is always my top priority as father taught me about it."

"Yes, and you did the right thing kid, just like your father when he destroyed the Geth... not like some other one would wanted." Gerrel looked at Korris while he spooked.

"We should have to inform the Citadel and the council about this event! They could help us... they must help us!" Said; Raan.

"Just like with the Geth... The council will do nothing, or maybe they will turn they backs at us...again... No this must be our secret!" Gerrel was full of rage.

"I never knew that this would come, but I agree with Han'Gerrel at least for now. We must have to learn everything about this specie and deal with them on our own peaceful matters." Korris voice was calm, but a little bit embarrassed.

"So than our meeting is over. Good luck on your mission Lia'Shepard! Keelah se'lai!" Raan finished the meeting.

Before she headed to the sky car Gerrel grabbed Lias shoulder.

"Yes Admiral?" Lia asked in a bit confused tone.

"No Lia, no need for formalities here...I want to ask a favour from you." His voice was friendly.

"Yes? What can I do?"

"Since we can't understand what this thing says, since we can't translate his language... we might have to find a way."

"And how can I help with this?" She asked a bit confused.

"Your father had a Prothean friend, and if I correct he can read others and learn they language?"

"Yes that is true...So you want me to ask for Javik?"

"Yes my child, and send him directly to me, I don't trust Korris, and Raan neither, since they had bonded..."

"Understood Admiral! I would like to be there when we interrogate him or her."

"Of course you should be there."

After that he left Lia alone. At the building entrance were Loty and Dari. They were waiting for Lia, since both of them already reported what they saw on that night.

"So Lia, how was it going?" Loty asked her friend.

"Very well, we keep this a secret from the rest of the galaxy."

"But...why?" Dari asked.

"I don't really know why...you know politics..." She said with a smirk.

"So were we headed?" Loty asked.

"Gerrel wants me to ask fathers help, he said that we need to understand the visitors languages, and the easiest way for it is by Javik. So I am going home, if you two want you could come with me."

They nodded and followed Lia to the Sky car.

At their home Tali had just arrived from her job. She was tired, always tired, as much as she loved her students they always made her exhausted at the afternoon. During weekdays Shepard usually made food for her.

"Hi there beautiful! Tired again?" He said before kissing her lips.

"Yes, Keelah I am getting old..." She said and hugged her love.

"Dinner almost ready, I made your favourite."

"Thank you John...I miss Lia..." Her voice was low.

"I know, but she is doing fine, you worry too much."

"And why do I worry? She is almost like her big bosh'tet father..."

"Well I am pretty sure she wasn't going to run under a Reaper." He smiled at Tali.

Suddenly the door opened. It was Lia, Dari, and Loty.

"What...why.. oh Hello there girls...What's the meaning of this?" Tali said with disbelieves.

"Lia you and your friends should be on Klendatu! Did you deserted?" Shepard was in shock from mentioning that.

"Keelah no dad... We here because we need your help." She started.

"We were guarding the colony when an unknown ship had arrived and dropped a shuttle. We ambushed it and captured one of its crew, but we don't understand its language, so we need your help."

"Javik..."

"Yes dad..." She was cut by her mother.

"Keelah Lia! Are you okay did you get hurt? Is your suit in one piece? Keelah..." Tali hugged her daughter in a very tight hug.

"I am okay mom, nobody has injured. So dad can you contact Javik for help. I have to bring him with me to Gerrel."

"Sure I will call Liara right now."

"Dad it has to be classified."

"Why? Raan would agree with that!" Tali was confused.

"Yes but both Gerrel and Korris agreed to keep it a secret till we can speak with it, after that it is on us what to do."

"Keelah if the council finds it out than Xen will be in a deep problem."

"The council can go to hell! Like Gerrel said they never cared about us, Xen is almost ignored every time by the other councillors except from the Human councillor Davidson... We have to do it alone!" Lia has never ever shouted at her mother, but now she did.

"Lia, you..." Tali was shocked.

"Sorry mom, ohh Keelah what did I just do?" Lia almost cried and hugged her mother.

"Post action stress, nothing serious." Dari informed her friend.

Shepard entered the room. With a bottle of wine and a Turian brandy in his hands.

"I talked to Javik, he informed me, that he will arrive within 2 days. So you guys can stay here for that time. Feel like home, and Lia I need to talk with you...in private."

"Thank you Commander!" Both the girls were joyful.

"Let's go I will show you the spare rooms we got." Tali headed up the stairs and the two girls followed her.

Lia went to Shepard hugged him and started to cry.

"Whooo hoo easy there...what's the problem?" He asked.

"I..I shouted at mom...I... made her sad...I never wanted to... please don't punish me." Her face was in his chest.

"Come with me outside my child, but before that please pour me some wine and some brandy for yourself...you will need it."

In the garden they both stood there. Shepard was watching the stars, and lighted his cigarette.

"You know Lia; combat has a lot of stress that you have to deal with somehow..." He started, still looking at the sky.

"First I didn't know what to do to make it disappear. I started to smoke and drink, this things helped me a lot, but also made me addictive to them." He paused and smoked some of his cigarette.

"This was until I...until I met your mother. Somehow she managed to always calm me down since I've met her... She was the one who didn't let me to cripple. She was a safe haven to me. After we got together I quit drinking, and smoked lesser amount."

"So...what you are saying is that..."

"Yes, if it wasn't for her. I would be a human trash. She saved my life... and I know that you will find someone who will make the same effect on your life that she did on mine. I know..."

"Thank you father this means a lot to me... I love you and mother very much!"

"We love you to my precious... be safe."


	10. Chapter 10

Javik had arrived in time. He was alone, during his preparations for the trip Liara asked him where he will go. What will he do? Since this trip was classified he didn't answered. Liara nodded that her lover will not soften about this topic so she stopped asking him.

It was mid of the day when his shuttle had arrived on Rannoch. He only knew that there was some kind of unknown specie that they wanted to interrogate, but since they didn't understand its language they needed his special ability to read its nervous system and is able to understand its language. When the shuttles door has opened there was Han'gerrel with Lia and Shepard.

"Commander a pleasure to see you! What can I help you with?" He sad and shacked the commanders hand.

"Good to see you too Javik, You have been briefed that is the only information we know."

"Hi Javik!" Lia greeted the Prothean.

"A pleasure young Quarian, I was told that your team captured that one. Nice job you could be a good leader like your father!"

"Thank you Javik, it means a lot…" She was blushing behind her helmet.

"A pleasure to meet you, I am not sure you remember me…we meet back on the Normandy when the commander helped us with the dreadnought." Gerrel wanted to shack his hand.

At first Javik didn't accept it, but he finally shook his hand.

"Yes now I remember you, you attacked to ship while the commander was on board… During my cycle you would be a hero for that… victory at any cost!"

"Yes finally someone who doesn't shout at me for my action…and since both of the commander and his team survived it was nothing bad about my action."

"Admiral! Do not care what others think do what you must!"

"Thank you I will keep that in mind."

Javik now faced Shepard.

"Where is this prisoner located?" He asked.

"We head right to him or her…"

"He or she?" Javik was a little confused.

"Well yes…we don't really know its gender…"

"I see than don't waste more time, I will see what I can do about it!"

The room was dark and tiny. He was conscious for a few hours now. Only the air filters light made some light in the room. There were about 10 others with him. He was scared and confused.

Javik and the others finally arrived to the integration room. Next to the door there were 4 armed marines guarding the entrance. Javik watched the marines, there suits had not chance since the end of the war, but there weapons were mostly Quarian not like in the old times when all kind of weapons were they using.

"Good, this kind of security is needed when meeting an unknown specie."

Gerrel nodded with pride.

"Turn on the lights in there and let out Prothean guest in" He ordered his men.

They nodded and opened the door. Javik, Gerrel, Lia and Shepard entered the room.

It was now light. Bright light. He couldn't see well for a little time, but later his visions cleared. There were 10 armed guards with him, with four other one. He remembered the female. The female who lead her capturers.

_What pathetic specie is this? Females leading males during combat? Unacceptable!_

He then noticed one who was different. He didn't hid behind mask, but unlike the other it had four eyes. The four eyed creature steeped to him. His hand grabbed his. He was terrified.

Lia watched as the Prothean tried to read the unknown specie. It took more time than she expected. 5 minutes have passed and Javik was still 'connected' to the prisoner. Shepard started to get worried so he grabbed Javiks hand and pull it out. Javik was thrilled.

"Javik! What happened?" He asked

"Your friend is too weak. He cannot resist my power." The aliens spooked directly to him.

"How can you speak prothean?"

"Hah... your friend tried to invade my inner side, but he could. I have attacked him, and took most of his information, that is why I could speak his language."

"But will he be okay?" His face was worried since Javik was till thrilling on the floor.

"Yes! If he wasn't resist that much there would be no problem with him."

"Will you read me? We need to understand you so you have to learn our language."

"If you wish, but don't resist… it can kill you…"

The alien grabbed Shepard's wrist. About a minute later they disconnected. Lia run to her father.

"Dad are you alright?" Her voice was worried.

"Yes sweetie I am fine, just a bit of a headache." He hugged her.

Lia turned to the alien.

"If you…you thing ever hurt my father I am going to kill you! You bosh'tet!"

The alien was a bit confused. That how could they be father and child since they aren't the same species.

"He is not your father he is a Human and you are a…a Quarian if I am correct."

"Adoption…and I don't care he raised me so he is my father."

Gerrel stepped in front of the new specie that he could understand now.

"Excuse me for her behaviour! I am Han'Gerrel admiral of the Quarian people. What is your species called?"

"I am Randack child of the nest Arkabra, and my species is the mighty Phenogran race. A race of warriors."

"And what were you doing on Klendatu?"

"The planet you call Klendatu is a potential planet for our colonization program. I was part of a scouting team, to find any potential us to where to start our program."

"But you are late! Klendatu is a Quarian colony now!"

"And? We will take it, if you care about your peoples life then leave the planet immediately or face the destruction of your people!"

The room went silent after this announcement. Everyone was looking at Randack. Javik finally was able to stand up.

"Commander, I am sorry, but he was too strong no one in our cycle was stronger than us…This experiment was shocking to me."

"No problem Javik we have sorted thing out… He is a member of the race called Phenogran."

"Phenogran? Never heard of them."

"Really Prothean? We know everything about your specie. We watched the destruction of your race…" Randack explained.

"But how is that possible? The Reapers whipped out every civilization during that time!" It was Lia who spooked.

"Yes we saw that too, they landed on our planets to, but we defeated them, and move under the surface. After a while they couldn't find us."

"Interesting." Said Shepard.

Randack turned to Gerrel. His eyes were sharp as a blade.

"Move out from Klendatu or face your death…Quarian…"

"No! We will fight and you will die like the bug you are!" He was shouting at him.

"We will see!" He laughs at the others in the rom.

Shepard and the others left the room. Leaving the Phenogran with the marines.

"What will we do now Admiral?" Lia asked.

"We won't let this Phenogran bosh'tet to threaten us! We have to show no weakness to them!" Gerrel was full of anger.

"We will send reinforcements and the fleet to Klendatu; if they want to fight we will wait them!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for the bad grammar! =/**

* * *

"Admiral Gerrel! You cannot make this kind of decision with ignoring the rest of the admirals!" Zaal'Korris shouted at him in his office.

"This is typical... 'Admiral' Zaal'Korris...is running away from conflict as always..." Gerrel responded in a sarcastic tone.

"No...NO! But the facts are simple! We don't know our enemy, and it is easy and logical for us to avoid any conflict with them!"

"Ohhh so give them one of our colonies because they say so?! And what will you do if they want the homeworld? You are a coward Zaal'Korris, and I don't care about what you say! I will order the ships to protect Klendatu!"

"If you don't stop this immediately I will... I... will charge you with treason!"

Gerrel stared at Korris mask, the anger was burning in his eyes.

"If I wouldn't know you Korris I would be scared, but since you are to coward for to do this then there is nothing me to fear about." He laughs at Korris.

According to Quarian laws if an Admiral charges one of his or her colleges with treason he or she will lose his or her position as Admiral. If the other one is find innocent that the one who accused him will face exile.

"You will see it Han'Gerrel!" Korris left the room.

Gerrel sat next to his desk and opened his terminal. He started to give orders to the fleet and for some infantry units to deploy on Klendatu. Leaning back on his chair he started laugh at Korris.

_Idiot coward! It's sure he is now hiding under Shalas skirt and crying like a big baby... Pathetic bosh'tet!_

Lia was in the shuttle with her friends. They were heading back to Klendatu. Preparing for defend the colony against any Phenogran attack. Getting out of the shuttle they have noticed that a lot of reinforcements had arrived.

"Look Lia they even brought some tanks here to! Is that a Mako97M?" Loty was like a child in a store.

"Yes Loty that is a Mako, dad used to drive one of the previous models of it...well no comment about how did he drove it..."

Dari was searching. Searching for Hilor. Finally she managed to find him. He was chatting with some of the reinforcements. Dari run towards him, but since he was facing the other direction Hilor didn't see her. Suddenly two hands has grabbed his shoulders. Hilor turned around and there was Dari, her eyes glowing thou her mask. She was smiling under it.

"Dari?"

"Yes Hilor, I...I missed you." She was blushing under her helmet.

"I missed you to! Hey I have an idea let's complete our little walk shall we?"

"Yeah that would be great."

And by that they grabbed each other's hand and went out for a walk.

"Well looks like Dari found her bond-mate... lucky little bosh'tet." Said Lia.

"Lia my dear you are jealous!"

"What? No...No...No no no...Well okay just a little, but..." She was cut by Loty.

"Calm down, not just you are the only one who is jealous. And yeah a lucky bosh'tet she is..."

"Well come on let's get back to our place."

Later that day there was a gathering for the team on Klendatu. The new sergeant who will lead the infiltrator team has just arrived. Standing in line Lia had noticed a familiar voice. It was her training officer who will lead them. She was in her same suit when Lia first saw her. But this time she was fully armed. A sniper rifle probably a Widow there was a Carnifex on her side as well.

"Some of you may know me already. Does who don't my name is Lora'Eray vas Naam. I will be the commanding officer of this regiment from now on!"

Her voice was still as forcefully as the first time Lia ever heard her.

"How was leading the squad when the aliens had landed?" Lora asked and started to look around at the others.

"I was ma'am!" Lia steeped forward and saluted.

"Name?" She returned the salute.

"My name is Lia'Shepard nar Rannoch ma'am!"

"Strange your name is so familiar...Do you know a Lia'Vael?"

"Well yes, the truth is that I am Lia'Vael, my father wanted me to be in incognito so I won't get special treatment only because I am Shepard child."

"I see, well I was always suspicious about you."

"Really?" Lia was shocked about this.

"Yes. Since I never saw anybody being so good with rifles and tech at the same time as you my dear. You really have for more practice than just the basic training."

Lia nodded and steeped back to the rest of the team.

"Okay everyone we have our orders! Admiral Han'Gerrel ordered us here for defend this location against our alien foes. We never faced them before, neither any other council race. Do your job well and history will remember us as heroes!"

Han'Gerrel was sitting next to his desk reading reports about ship movements and every update about any fleet activities near Klendatu. He was happy that everything was going on as he planed it.

_After our victory there everyone will see the power that we have. They won't look at us any more without respect. Soon the Quarian Empire will rise thanks to me!_

Suddenly his door opened. It was Zaal'Korris with about 10 other armed men. Gerrel was a little confused. He looked straight at Korris.

"Remarkable! The little Korris has finally did something brave! There wasn't place under Raans skirt I guess? Oh wait! You are wearing the skirt and she wears the pants at home, am I right?" He laughed applauded as standing up.

"Shout up Han'Gerrel! You are under arrest for treason, and will be sent to the Conclave right now!" Korris voice was full of anger.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

The meeting of the Conclave was at closed doors. The members were sitting at a cycle in the middle of the cycle were Gerrel and Korris oldest member of the Conclave stood up facing both Gerrel and Korris.

"Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema, you have been charged with treason, for ignoring the other admirals and ordering the fleet into possible combat that could break a war between our people and the Phenogran race. What will you say about this?"

"I did what is had to be done! We cannot live like we used to! We should show our strength to others not running away like we did in the past!" He looked at Korris.

"I understand your point admiral, but that doesn't mean you could act on your own. Your orders had been cancelled and the evacuation of Klendatu had already begun at this moment!"

Korris was looking at Gerrel whose anger started to become a rage, his hands started to be on a fist finally his emotions had erupted.

"You! You...pathetic old idiot bosh'tet! All of you! This is what you want? Don't anyone get it? If we leave Klendatu they won't stop, the next destination probably will be Rannoch! And what will you do then? Huh? Leave the planet and going back to the fleet? Well no! Fuck you all! I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN BRING OUR PEOPLES GLORY BACK! I AM!" He was shouting full of anger.

"Admiral if you won't watch your tone we have to lock you right away!" Said the shocked conclave member.

The meeting was interrupted when both Korrisis and Gerrels Omni tool started to beep.

"What is it admirals?"

"We have been attacked..." Korris spooked with terror in his voice.


	12. Chapter 12

Loty was angry along with Lia. It has benne an hour since they got the new order from the conclave to evacuate the colony. The two of them were helping with the civilian transporting, while Dari was helping with the equipment transport.

"Why do we have to go? This is our land now! We most protect it, not just live like some coward..." Loty was full of anger.

"You are right...Gerrel wouldn't let this..."

"So what do you think happened back there? I mean is Korris made this to happen?"

"I don't know... but Korris was always like this as I heard..."

"But your grandmother Raan, can she do anything about this?" Loty asked.

"Well this is secret...but granny Raan has bigger problems you know...You have noticed that they haven't got any children?" Lia said it in a low tone that it was almost like a whisper.

"Well...yes..."

"That's the point! Somehow granny couldn't get pregnant... and this starting to get on her nervous... She mostly doesn't care about anything else, but to have at least one baby..." Lia voice was sad mentioning her grandmothers' problem.

"I see...well I'm sorry for her, she is a good person...Keelah this can be so hard on her..."

"Well yes, but I hope she won't let Korris to jeopardize our people."

"Me too..."

The first wave of civilians had been send back to the relay. Only about half the colony's population, mostly men and some women were left. Most of the children and the pregnant had been sending away. Lora was proud of how her people had been so effective. She doesn't like the idea of leaving without a fight but she also know, that they can't let civilians near a battlefield.

"Okay everybody since you all worked very good let us take a little break! You can have a spare hour. Do what you want to before we continue our task!"

Everyone stopped their work, and headed away. Dari and Hilor were together as always. The pair had been going to the private courters. Loty had noticed that, she was laughing from her friend happiness.

"Hey Lia, did you see that?" She poked her with her elbow.

"What?"

"Dari and Hilor went to the private courters."

"So? Do you think she is...?"

"Well yeah I am sure about it! They will show each other's face."

"Well I am glad she's happy..."

"Me too..." Lotys sentence was cut in half by a big explosion."

The sun was already setting dawn when out of nowhere a huge explosion brighten the sky like it was at noon. One of the shuttles had been blown up.

The invasion began...

Everyone was panicking. Loty was on the ground, Lia helped her up. They run to grab their weapons and start to take positions! Lora was ordering everybody, her voice was harsh. Dari and Hilor were confused and they headed to join their units. Everyone was in position.

On the sky there was 7 ships now, probably frigates, but this time, they sent much more shuttles down. About 50 to 100 piece. Lora was scared and angry. Scared of the numbers of enemy they have to face, and angry about the withdrawn of their fleet.

_If those ships were here, we might have a chance! Keelah no! We will fight and win today! These men need a speech! You must boost their moral Lora! Do it! NOW!_

She stands up next to the barricade they built last day and started to speak to her soldiers.

"Soldiers! Our enemy is outnumbering us, but that doesn't matter! They never faced us before in battle neither do we them! But think about this while you fight; you are fighting for your families, for your people! Today we will fight hard and win or die trying it! The enemy will learn to fear us, since we won't give them time to take a breath! When the shuttles arrive hit them with everything you got! Kill those bosh'tets! Kill them all! For your family, for your loved one! And for mostly FOR RANNOCH!"

The soldiers were excited after her speech. Lia and Loty were next to each other a little from where they were Dari. Hilor and the rest of the marines were behind them. The plan was simple. Infiltrator team will take out as many officers as possible, and when the enemy is disorganized from the lack of leaders the marines will attack, with them supporting from behind.

The shuttles had arrived. They were grey with some dirt on it. The door opened and about 15 troops had leaved it. There were the same as the others before, but they had weapons with them. About 20 shuttles had take of when the order arrived from Lora. Massive fire had started; a lot of the invaders had fallen on the ground. The marines had started to attack. They were near to the shuttles when the dead enemy had got up from the ground and started to shoot at them.

"Damm it! They tricked us; it's a trap all marines retreat! Retreat!" Lora was shouting though the intercom.

The marines had started to run back to the barricades. Half of them had fallen, many wounded. The enemy used some kind of strange weapon. It didn't fired bullets like a normal weapon. No, it fired some kind of sharp metal. That looked like a blade. It cut though easily in the Quarian shield and cut most of the victims flesh.

When the rest of the marines had came back. Dari started to search for Hilor. She was looking at them one by one, when suddenly everything became dark.

"DARI! NOOOOOOO!" Lia shouted as she throws herself on the ground next to her.

"They are behind us; we must go back to the shuttles ASAP!" Lora ordered.

"Lia! LIA! Come on we need to go! NOW!" Loty was shouting at her friend.

"No! I won't leave her here! Please help me Loty! She is our friend!" Lia was crying under her helmet.

"Fine I'll help but we have to hurry!"

They grabbed Daris body and run to the shuttles. Lia was in full panic. They were near the shuttle, when suddenly Lia felt a big amount of pain in her leg, like it has been cut off. She looked down and there was a lot of blood.

"Liaaa...Keelah no..." Loty was shouting.

After that everything was dark...

* * *

The reports from Klendatu were terrifying more than half of the forces had been killed; most of the survivors were badly wounded. Thanks to the enemies weapons. Zaal'Korris was shocked about the news.

The meeting of the conclave had been delayed for another time. They needed both of the admirals in this time of needs.

The doors of his offices had opened. It was Han'Gerrel who had entered. Rage boiled in his eyes.

"You...you...idiot! Idiot coward BOSH'TET!" He was shouting directly to him.

Korris couldn't speak.

"If you had just a little sense than all those men and women would be alive! But no...withdraw the fleet let them as prey for those Phenograns... "

Korris started to get angry. He looked straight to Gerrels mask.

"No! If you would let the evacuation earlier then we wouldn't be in this situation! It's your fault Han'Gerrel! All of it..."

"You and the whole Admiralty board and even the conclave can go to hell! Idiot coward bosh'tet...all of you! I don't understand what Shala sees in you..."

"Leave her out of this Gerrel!" Korris rage had erupted.

Han'Gerrel had left the room. He headed right to his office, to prepare for the counterattack. He sat next to his terminal, ordered the fleet to mobilize in full speed. After that he looked out the window. Seeing, how most of the people didn't know about what had happened not so long ago.

_Now it's the time!_

He opened his Omni tool and called a number. A little while his phone call has finally been answered.

"Yes?"

"It's Gerrel, now it's the time; meet me at the memorial in an hour!"

He once again looked out of the window, and smiled.

_The empire starts from now!_


	13. Chapter 13

Everything is cold, and dark. The silence is annoying only just a little beeping sound can be heard. Her leg or what is left of it is in some kind of liquid. The pain is still strong even after a quite amount of painkillers that they gave to her. She wanted to rest, but she wanted to be back and fight. Fight for her people, and mostly fight for revenge! She was confused and scared. The fact that nobody had told her everything about what happened to her friend annoyed her.

Lia was almost 5 days now in the hospital. Her leg has been hit pretty badly. The doctors say it's a miracle that they could at least save it. The liquid where her leg was contained strong antibiotic that kept her from infection. In that antibiotic bath, the medical robots had already started to reconstruct the missing parts of her flesh and veins.

She was just conscious for about an hour now. The door opened it was Loty there, her arm was in bandage.

"Hey." Lia said in a weak tone.

"Hey there, how are you?" Lotys voice was low.

"I'm okay...just my leg..."

"Good, that you feeling well, well your leg...they hit it pretty hard..."

"What happened? Where is Dari?" She tried to raise her voice, but failed.

"Lia, I'm...sorry, but Dari is...She is with our ancestors in the homeworld skies..." Loty started to cry at the end of the sentence.

"Keelah...No, it can be...Loty! What happened?"

"The bullet or what should I call that metal thing? So that hit the back of her head, cutting though her suit and her spine...She...She died at that moment..."

"Oh Dari...!" Lia started to cry out of pain.

"After that, when we brought her back to the shuttle, one of them... had shoot at you. That thing went right to your leg... If...if... that thing had been a little more on your left, than...it could cut your leg off..."

"Keelah...How many others had died?"

"Lora has been injured; to be honest she lost her left arm... She is in a coma...Well Hilor had survived, just some burning."

"Does he know?" Lia asked.

"No! We haven't told him yet...he needs to rest for now on..."

"I understand...Thanks for telling me all this." She tried to smile at her friend, but she was too weak.

"Anytime, oh and you should talk to your parents, the news is on and many are coming here..."

Lia nodded and put out her Omni tool she typed her house number and called it.

* * *

At their home Tali and Shepard watched the news about Klendatu. When they heard about the high number of casualties Tali had started to cry. Shepard hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"Calm down Tali, she is probably okay!" He whispered into her ears.

"How do you know that?" Her eyes were full of tears.

"I can't tell you, but I know. Our daughter is strong. Trust me."

"Then why she didn't call us?"

"She will, just wait a little..." He hugged her.

Shepard Omni tool has beeped. Both of them looked at it for a few seconds. Imagining the worst. Finally John answered it.

"Yes?" He said, with a little bit shy voice.

"Daddy...it's me Lia..." Shepard heard her crying while she talked.

Shepard turned to Tali, and smiled a little.

"Keelah Lia, where are you are you okay?" Tali were excited.

"No...I am not good, my leg...Keelah... I've been hit... I am in the military hospital, please come visit me...I need the company of you two." She was crying in agony.

The line was cut. Shepard and Tali looked at each other for a moment and headed to get ready for the visit.

* * *

Han'Gerrel was at the memorial in time. He was nervous; all those years of planning have finally become to be a reality. He was waiting for about 10 minutes now, when finally his contact has arrived.

"Don't be so nervous Gerrel; most of the generals are loyal to our cause." The mysterious figure spoke in a very calm tone.

"I know, but it's mostly adrenalin that makes this with me..."

"I see, so than when should we start? Just tell me a time and I will organize the action."

"Tomorrow morning, right when the conclave meeting starts! And if you excuse me, I need to take care for something."

"As you wish, admiral, or should I say; Grand Admiral of Rannoch?" The figure said this with a smirk.

* * *

The hospital was full; many wounded were operated in the hallways. Shepard and Tali finally managed to find their daughters room.

They could enter the room easily, because Lia was wearing her suit, except for her right leg, with was in the liquid. Seeing her daughter like this Talis eyes started to tear as she sat next to her bed. Lia was sleeping. Shepard sat next to Tali; he was worried about his little child condition to. His arms were on Talis hips making her comfortable even in this circumstance.

Lia opened her eyes, she was finally awake. Turning her to the side she saw her parents next to her.

"Hey!" She said, in a still weak but a little stronger voice.

"Lia, my precious little angel, are you okay?" Tali asked as she hugged her.

"I'm fine...just my leg...and my soul..."

"What happened to your soul darling?" Shepard asked.

"Dari...she didn't make it... she is dead..." Lia started to cry.

"Don't be sad my child she is now watching you, from the homeworld skies." Tali once again hugged her.

They were chatting for a short time when the door opened. It was Han'Gerrel who just came in.

Shepard stood up and went to the admiral.

"Admiral, what is the pleasure?" He asked.

"I came, here to speak to Lia'Shepard. I have some news for her."

Tali looked at Gerrel, her eyes were sad.

"Gerrel! How could this have happen?" She asked.

"That idiot Zaal'Korris has convicted the conclave that they withdraw the fleet, shouting down our main defence...Those down there didn't have a change... I'm sorry..."

Tali and Shepard nodded. Now Gerrel turned to face Lia.

"Lia, do you hear me?" His voice was friendly.

"Yes, admiral..."

"Please as I said before, call me just Gerrel." He was still very friendly.

"Okay Gerrel." She said with a little smile.

"So back to business! As you may have heard your officer, Lora'Eray vas Naam has been injured, and she is no longer able to fit her duties." His voice was more professional now.

"What are you suggesting?"

"Only thing I am suggesting is that I want you to take her place!"

"You want me to lead the 6th infiltrator regiment?" Her voice was a little bit shocked.

"Yes, but not all of them, I have spitted it to two units, you will lead one of them."

"I...I don't know what to say...thank you admiral...I mean Gerrel!"

"I know you will be doing a great job!" He smacked her hands and left the room.

* * *

It was 9 in the morning. The conclave meeting has just about started. Like any other day, most of the members were already there, they wanted to finish this meeting as soon as possible so they could go back to their homes. The meeting has started. Suddenly the door opened.

It was Han'Gerrel with 20 armed men. They entered in a very calm way. The conclave members were in shock. One of them finally managed to speak. Directly to Gerrel.

"What is the meaning of this admiral?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked with a sarcastic tone.

"You can't do this, if the other admirals will know it you are in a deep problem!" His voice tried to be threatening, but he failed.

"I don't think so they are capable to do that...sorry..."

"What did you do to them?"

"They are all traitors! They have been arrested and now they are on the way to be locked down."

"What do you want Han'Gerrel?" He was scared.

"What I want? I want to bring our people glory back, and none of you fools have the guts to do so! So I'm seizing power!"

"You are insane..." He was shocked.

Gerrel ordered his men, and they started to take out the members. They were a few who tried to resist. They have been shot dead.

"Grand Admiral, we have placed the conclave to a secure place. What is your orders sir?" One of the marines asked.

"Excellent! Bring here the press I have an announcement to the Quarian people."

The marine nodded and left the room.

Gerrel was smiling, his thoughts were on his victory that he achieved today.

_This is it! The empire has born!_


	14. Chapter 14

Lia was lying on her bed, still trying to get used to be an officer. She was nervous; from now on so many lives will be depending on her actions. How she will choose, what will she think is the right call? Confusion was in her mind. She wanted to focus something other, so she activated the holo displayer.

It was Han'Gerrel on the screen, next to two armed marine. He started to speak.

"My Quarian brothers and sisters, today is a sad day for our people! Our so called 'leaders' the conclave with members of the Admiralty board had started to make plans, for leaving the homeworld! Leaving it for the enemy. We can't let the enemy take our homeworld, and driven us back to exile. They our so called leaders had betrayed us! I took action against them. They will all face trial against treason! Until that I will seize power, and I'll do everything in my position to save our homeworld and our people!"

The air in the whole building had frozen. Lia was blinking under her helmet. She and many others know that Han'Gerrel was the only one who wanted to leave the fleet at Klendatu, and put up a fight.

Since the retake of Rannoch most of the people were pro militant. Serving in the army was something every child wanted to do. The pacifist voices of the conclave were almost always made upset along most of the population. The young generation of Quarians wanted to fight. Fight for their people's glory. They wanted to be heroes.

After the speech Lia had heard voices of cheers coming into her room from outside. The camera drone now focused on the streets of the major cities. There were many people out on the streets, swearing at the conclave and the rest of the admirals. The army was patrolling the streets.

* * *

At their home Tali and Shepard watched the news about that, they were shocked.

"Tali, do you think this is true...that Raan?" Shepard asked in a low tone.

"No it can't be...The only one I think of doing this is just Zaal'Korris, but not Raan..."

"But Tali...you know that Raan doesn't really care about politics for a long time...maybe..." Shepard was cut by Tali.

"You think that Korris had faked aunties' reports and votes?" She asked her love.

"I don't really know, but it is an option..."

"Yes you are right! But first let's focus on Lia, please..."

"So you don't really mind that Gerrel had seized all power and all of that?" He asked with a little sarcasm.

"Well yeah... but since we are at war... It's better this time that the army are in power, ratter them some good for nothing politicians..."

"I agree... the council was a pain in the ass in the past... and the good thing about Gerrel is that he sees the threat and wants to face it, not ignoring it or worse...running away from it..."

"Yes...and if he makes something stupid the council will respond to it...so he is not as powerful as he thinks..."

"Yeah...well Xen will have some work for herself in the coming days..."

"John she will figure it out...But we should focus on Lia! We should be in the hospital now. Come on you lazy bosh'tet!" She kissed his lips and started to get ready.

* * *

Han'Gerrel Grand Admiral of Rannoch was walking down in a very tight hallway, in one of the army complexes' basement. He was on his way from one room. This room was at the far end of the hallway guarded with two armed marines. As he approached the door the guards saluted and opened the door. He entered it. In the room was Shala'Raan. She was sitting on her bed looking down at the ground.

"Shala!" Gerrel spoke to her.

"What do you want Han'Gerrel?" Her voice was empty as she looked at the floor.

"Shala, please...you know that I don't want to do this with you!"

She faced Gerrel and looked into his eye dots. Her eyes were empty.

"What do you mean?" She asked in her same empty tone.

"You know that I always cared for you...but you always ignored me..."

"Han...I have chosen Korris, I said a hundred times that I am sorry..."

"I know, but...she is just using you as a tool..."

"How can you tell me such thing?! Gerrel, you did all this because...?" Gerrel cut her sentence before she could finish it.

"No...Absolutely not... But let's not talk about politics; I am not here for that."

"So you just came here to tell me how much you care about me, more than Korris?"

"Yes...Shala I want you to be with me!" He almost started to beg for her.

"Really?! Well Han'Gerrel I have a loving bond-mate, who really cares about me!" She said it with pride.

"Really Shala? I want to show you something..."

He put two little phial with some kind of liquid in them. He then handed them to Raan.

"What is this?" Raan asked. She was confused.

"Male pregnancy controls..." His voice was empty while saying that.

"Where did you...where did you found these?" She was confused, almost crying.

"My men have searched Zaal'Korris office... These with far more pieces were in his desk."

"No! No! It can't be..." Raan started to cry in pain.

"Sorry Shala, but it seems that..." He was cut by the crying women.

"Please Han...don't say it..." She was begging.

"Sorry Shala... I am really am sorry...but your bond-made did everything to avoid pregnancy..."

He sat down next to Raan, grabbed her hand. Shala was crying. The information that her love, her bond-mate had tricked her. The realizing that she hasn't got a baby is all Korris fault.

"Why? Han...tell me...WHY?"

Han'Gerrel hugged her. Her mask was now resting on his shoulders. They were there sitting in silence when Gerrel turned to her mask.

"I love you Shala, I want you to be happy...with me." He whispered it to her.

Raan looked deeply into his eyes. She was confused. The past event had shaken her mind. She stroked Gerrels mask.

"Thanks for telling me the truth. Please leave me...I need to have a little time on my own."

"Sure, I will leave you...I'll check on you later."

He had left the room, heading towards another cell.

* * *

Zaal'Korris was sitting on his cell, trying to figure out what to do. The door opened. He saw the devil entering his room in Gerrels form. His anger form into a fist as he wanted so much to punch Gerrel in the face, broke his mask, and let him die from infection.

"Why are you here...'Grand Admiral of Rannoch'? I'm not interested talking to you." His voice was sarcastic.

"I have a proposition for you Korris!"

"I won't be your slave if you mean that...go to hell Han'Gerrel..."

"As I said... You have a choice...You could rot here and face execution...or...Be in the citadel and work as an assistant to Councillor Xen...The choice is yours."

"I will never be your puppet...you bosh'tet!"

"I am giving you time to think...about a week..."

"I won't be your puppet! Shala and I will find a way to defeat you!" Korris was shouting at him.

"Hah...Korris...Korris...Korris. You know that we found your dirty little secret and Shala knows it already?" Gerrel was enjoying the moment.

"What? No it can't be..." His voice had been broken.

"Like I said one week...Assisting Xen or execution!"

Then he left the room leaving the beaten Korris alone.


	15. Chapter 15

On the citadel Councillor Xen was in her office reading reports of the event that had happened on Rannoch. Han'Gerrel had seized power and he was now ruling with martial laws. She looked at the images the members of the formal conclave were held prisoners. Massive crowds were on the streets in every major city. Demanding the conclave members head. The crowds rage boiled every time new evidence had been published about they betray. Xen didn't believe that the other admirals could have been in to this...

_Well maybe Zaal'Korris, but he is too much of a coward to do such thing...but Shala'Raan...I don't know..._

Her terminal had beeped. A new message had arrived from the other councillors. They wanted to question her about the past events that had happened on her homeworld.

She closed the terminal and headed to the meeting.

"Councillor Xen, would you explain us the past events that happened on Rannoch?" The Asari councillor was in her usual calm manner.

"Yes Councillor, why it's possible that one of your admiral can so easily throw out the conclave and the rest of the board?" The Human councillor was a bit confused.

"It is one of our ancient laws...Admiral Gerrel did what he had to! According to this law, if in wartime an Admiral has evidence that proves that the conclave or the other admirals are planning to abandon their people for gathering fortune or any other things, then the army has to stand behind his/her back and put the others away from their duty. It lives until the war is over, after that the Grand Admiral has to resign and a new conclave will be formed." Xen explained.

"Interesting, and what will happen to the old conclave during this time?" The Salarian councillor asked her.

"According to the law the members of the old conclave along with the admirals will be held on a trial. The trial can be taken place during war time." She explained.

"What if the Admiral didn't step back after the war is over?" The Turian asked.

"In that case, the army will have to restore the conclave in any means necessary...and if the admiral is captured, well he will be exiled."

"Well than there is nothing to worry about than...Somehow I have more concerns about this new alien race the Phenograns... They are very brutal and their weapons are strange." The Turian was a little excited about this discovery.

"Yes...indeed...if your government, can provide us with one of the captured weapons...Our scientists 'could look at it, and maybe find some kind of new shield to protect us from it." The Salarian spoke.

"Yes indeed councillor! If your people gather a team, we will hand them any material they want."

After a little while the meeting was over. Heading to her office Xen was curious. She really wanted to know what are Gerrels evidences and mostly how did he managed to get them.

* * *

Lias leg was almost completely healed. The doctors planed to resuit her leg today. She was really happy that she could get out of bed. At the request of Han'Gerrel she will have a week shore leave after leaving the hospital. She was looking forward to it.

The door opened. It was Loty; she had a little gift for her.

"Hi there Loty!"

"Hi, Lia how's your leg?"

"Its fine, I won't be able to run for a week still, but at the evening they will resuit it... I will sleep tonight in my own bed!" Her voice was full of relief.

"That's good well uhmm...I brought you some chocolate...I know you like it." She gave the bag to Lia.

"Thank you Loty...you are a good friend!"

"And you to Lia! Be safe!" She smiled and left the room.

The nurses had arrived; they disabled the robots and got rid of the liquid. Since the mast amount of antibiotics had boost her immune-system they could easily put her suit part on. Without sterilizing.

"You are good to go now! Your leg is good as new. Rest it for a week and you'll be fit for duty!" Said one of the nurses.

Lia nodded and gathered her stuff and headed to the exit. At the main entrance were Shepard and Tali who had just arrived. She wanted to run to them, but her leg wasn't strong enough, but that was not a problem. As soon as Tali saw her she run and hugged her so tight like all air in her body had left it. Shepard was smiling at them, after Tali finally released her from her embrace, he hugged Lia to.

"Come on, let's go home!" He said.

"There is nowhere else I want to go!"

* * *

The cell was dark and cold. Former admiral Zaal'Korris was now lying on the floor. All of his body was shaking. His vision was flourishing. He needed it! He didn't care about anything else. Not since had Gerrel told his secret to Raan.

All he wanted was just a little amount of it. The door opened, it was too loud his head almost exploded.

Han'Gerrel stepped into the cell room. Seeing that Korris was on the floor, he smiled. He poked Korris with his feet.

"Zaal'Korris...look at you! A pathetic drug addict nothing else... You are a shame to our kind!"

Korris only watched him, his head was bouncing.

Gerrel put out two phials the same ones he shown to Raan. Noticing that Korris eyes opened wide. All he wanted at the moment was in the hands of the devil. Gerrel watched as the other man was suffering from his drug withdrawal.

"Korris...I will give you your drugs. Only! Only if you make your choice!"

Korris wanted to split on Han'Gerrels mask, but his own one didn't let him to do so.

"No!" He said it with a weak voice.

"Zaal...we all know that you are using this since the end of the war...What a pity... An admiral that can face war..."

He put the phials back to his pocket.

"When you made your choice, you'll get them..."

"Fuck you...you bosh'tet."

"Good night Zaal, you will need it..." Gerrel laughed and left the room.

Korris had collapsed and started to cry out of agony. He was too weak to fight. Fight against Gerrel, against his addiction. He needed the pain to wear off. He needed something to stop the pain. That is why he started using painkillers after the end of the Geth War. After a little time he needed a bigger doses over and over again. He became an addict. He never told it to Shala; he never wanted to make her nervous about it. Unfortunately after a while the lot of drugs he used made him sterile. Seeing that his love, suffered because of his weakness, he started to take the drugs every day. He wanted it...

* * *

In the sky car Lia was silent. She wanted to be home so much that she didn't care about anything. They have finally arrived.

Opening the door she saw a Black Widow facing her. She scared. She could barely move. The form behind the gun had appeared.

"Boom! Gotcha!" It was a female was.

"Kasumi! You scared me, auntie..." Lia was happy to see her favourite auntie.

"Kasumi Not Funny!" Said Shepard.

"Ohh come on Shep you know that I have a strange sense of humour."

"Yes we do... you little sneaky bosh'tet." Tali went over and hugged her.

"Auntie, why are you here?" Lia asked.

"Well mostly I have a little business to deal with here...can't tell more than that...sorry. And well I missed you little Lia, so I wanted to see you."

"What kind of business Kasumi?" Shepard asked.

"Sorry Shep, like I said can't tell. Only thing is it's something big. I should go now, see you later kiddo!" She hugged them and left.

Shepard watched as her cloaked form disappears.

_What is she up to?_


	16. Chapter 16

Today was Lias first day at service since she left the hospital. Getting back to active duty was something that was on her mind for a while now. She was nervous. Since she received a battalion of soldiers to her command. Lia was walking down the pathway to the officers barrack.

A familiar voice has got her attention.

"Hi Lia! So they let you back to the business?" Asked the man.

"Hilor is that you?"

"Well yes, sorry...forgot you didn't see our new environment-suit."

"Yeah...By the way they look marvellous...It suits you!" She let out a little smirk out.

"Yes... Thanks... I should go! Good talking to you!"

Hilor started to go back to his position, but Lia grabbed his arm.

"Hilor...I am sorry...sorry about Dari..." Her voice was under sadness.

"Yeah...Thank you Lia!" His voice was as low as a whisper.

Lia entered the officers barrack. After a little she finally managed to find her room. The room was the same size as her room at they house. This made her very happy. She opened her bag and put out her belongings. The picture of her friends at the party before...before the war and everything else. She put it next to her bed. Looking at the picture she smiled under her mask. She smiled until her eyes went straight to Dari. Her friend that those Phenogran bosh'tets killed. Sadness and anger were both present in her at that very moment.

Someone knocked at her door.

"Come in!"

The door opened, and it was Han'Gerrel who has entered.

"Admiral! Why are you here?" She was a little confused.

"Good day to you too Lia!" Said Gerrel sarcastically.

"Oh sorry...Good day sir!"

"Much better! Lia I am here to inform you about your new mission."

Lia nodded and offered a sit to the now Grand Admiral. Gerrel sat down and looked around the room.

"Nice room you got here."

"Thank you Grand Admiral! So what is my mission?"

"Yes the mission. Since we lost Klendatu a lot of our troops was captured there, and we don't know what happened to them. So your task is to with about 15 others to infiltrate one of their forward bases and look for any prisoners and any intel of the enemy."

"Understood Admiral! and when will be departure?"

"Tomorrow morning, we will drop you about 2 kilometres away from they base so they won't notice your arrival."

"Understood! We will gather any prisoners if we find and we will search for any data of the enemy if we can find!"

"Yes, and I will expect just success from you and your men!"

"I will make you and our people proud sir!" She saluted.

Gerrel returned the salute and left the room.

* * *

Lia had chosen all of her 15 best operatives she knew. Most of them had served with her on the invasion of Klendatu; many of them were injured, wounded. One thing was common among them, that they all wanted vengeance. Vengeance for their friends, for they loved ones. And to show the galaxy that the Quarians are strong and they will fight and will win!

Loty was leading a small squad during the mission. Lia looked at her men with pride in her chest.

"Soldiers! Today we will do what we are best at! At night we will infiltrate the enemy's base and free our people, search for intel, and make as many damage to the enemy as we can!"

The shuttle had dropped them at the same location as they planted. The team has finally managed to reach the Phenogran Forward base. Lia and the rest of the team watched the base for hours. They waited. Waited for the dark to come.

After 2 hours of nervous waiting the action finally begun. Lia ordered the team to mute their masks audio from outside, so they can be as quite as they needed to be.

"Okay everyone this is it! Loty you and your team will get into from behind, while the rest of the team will got into the east side of the base. Once we in eliminate all enemies you encounter. No prisoners, I repeat No prisoners! After that we will meet next to the main building in about 15 minutes, we wait for 5 minutes if the others are delayed!"

Everyone nodded and the two teams had separated from each other. According to the plan Loty and her team approximately about 6 people was at the back of the base. They used silenced sniper rifles as well as silenced sub machine guns to kill all hostile targets. Lia and the rest of the team entered to base a little earlier than Lotys. They used the same methods to get rid of any unwanted person. In the centre of the base was the main structure, according to their information this had to be the place where most of their people were held captive.

They stood there for a minute or two, while the others opened the door to the facility. The console turned green and the door finally opened.

The whole place was dark and smelly, since they shield their masks filters they couldn't smell it. The smell was blood and rotten things. Lia and the team activated their night visions that were built in their visors.

There was blood everywhere they could see. Many of them terrified about the amount of blood that were there.

"What the hell is going on here?" Asked one of the team members.

"I don't know...These animals..." Said another one.

"Look! There...! Said Loty as she pointed her gun to a corner.

Lia and Loty went to check that place they have noticed.

There were a lot of material on the floor; Lia pointed her light to it, after that she looked at Loty. She was as confused as Lia.

"Loty...are those?"

"Yes Lia...these are definitely..." She looked at her mask again.

"Quarian enviro-suits!" Both of them stated this horrifying information.

The rest of the team followed their emotions of shock and fear.

"We have to search for survivors!" Lia ordered her team.

They have entered to another room; this one was smaller and cold. Much cooler than the other one. Lia used her Omni tools light to light up the room. As they visions cleared the shock from the previous room had became a reality.

There were Naked Quarians hanging from the ceiling. Most of them were already dead. They check the bodies. There were no sign of torture. They all died from infection. Everyone in the room was confused.

_Why would they do that? This doesn't make any sense..._

Suddenly one of the team members has found one alive. She was shock they had to inject some medicine to calm her down.

"Who...who are...you?" She asked hardly thanks to the drugs.

"Lia'Shepard...we came here to rescue you!"

"Forget about me...I am infected...I will die soon...Those...those monster...did..." She started to cry.

"What did they do?"

"They...put us here...took of our suits and... and... they took the man..."

"Where did they take them?"

The girl pointed to a door at the end of the room, after that her eyes had closed. Closed forever.

"5 stay here, take down the dead and find a way to bring their bodies back to Rannoch. The rest of you follow me!"

Lia and Loty were standing behind the team as they opened the door. The room was far bigger than the one they were in. There was blood everywhere, even in the ceiling. A big machine was in the middle. It was heavily covered in blood

"Keelah... it can be..." Said Loty.

"It can't be Loty, but it seem like it is..."

"A slaughterhouse..." They said in disbelieve.

"WHY? WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?" One younger girl was in full panic, they have to seduce her down.

"They are eating our people...They use us as food! Keelah, those poor souls..."

"Get every data! And set up a bomb...We will destroy this place of horror." Lia ordered her team.

The team was on the shuttle, with the data they have gathered so long with about 7 bodies and the found suits. Nobody said anything, the whole trip was in silence.


	17. Chapter 17

The report from the mission has just arrived on Gerrels terminal. He had to read it twice. Those details on the report were unbelievable. After reading it for the second time, he was shocked. Gerrel had to come out with an idea. He looked outside the window and was thinking of a proper solution. The Phenograns were a brutal enemy. Almost as brutal as the Reapers were, but without any of their technology.

_There is no choice just one! Total War!_

He still looked out the window. He watched as the young kids were playing with each other the workers doing their jobs and so on. These man and women were his race. His beloved race, which he would give his life to defend them. Gerrel moved to his terminal and sent a message to all high ranking military personals to meet him in an hour. After that he left the room, headed to meet their guest again.

* * *

The room was small and dark again, but this time there were not as many guards as before. Randack was still a prisoner. He refused to eat cooked meals which were given to him. The only food he ever eats was always raw meat. Somehow if the meat had more blood the more he ate of it. His captives were very confused about this thing.

Grand Admiral Han'Gerrel had arrived at Randacks cell. The guard saluted and he entered the room.

The light was too much for his eyes, he couldn't see. They blinded him. His species was not used to so much light, since they lived in a nest under the surface.

"You..." Said Gerrel pointing his gun towards Randacks head.

"What do you want...Quarian?" His voice was somehow very sarcastic.

"Shut up! You filthy insect...The one who asks the questions is me!" Gerrel was shouting out of rage.

"As you say...suit-rat..."

"How?...Where do heard of this?"

"Does it matter?"

"I demand you to answer!"

"No..."

"Very well then..." Gerrel pointed his gun and shot one of Randacks leg.

"Ouch... You have signed you and your species dead sentence with this..."

"I don't think so...So...Give me your homeworlds coordinates!"

"The little suit...Quarian wants to beg for peace?"

"No! This little Quarian among with millions of other little Quarians will go there and destroy your entire disgusting and barbaric race. And after that it will be one of our colonies...our maybe we just use it for weapons testing..."

"You are so naive Quarian... you will never defeat us. Remember this sentence when our sword will cut you in half!"

"We will see... Now give us the coordinates!"

"No...You have to figure it out on your own..."

"Really? Well I have other methods..."

Gerrel turned to exit the room, but in the doorway he turned around and put a bullet into Randacks other leg. After leaving the cell, he commanded one of the soldiers who were guarding the place.

"Bring here the electric shockwave, with some extra bright lighting...Oh and never turn down the light in the cell..."

"Understood Grand Admiral! Who do you want to do the interrogation?"

"I will do it...with pleasure..." He laugh as he leaved.

* * *

The meeting was just about started all of the high ranking military personal were sitting, while Gerrel told them about what did Lia and her team discovered in the Phenogran base on Klendatu.

"This is interesting Grand Admiral...and very shocking at the same time..." Said Admiral Natla'Nael vas Engma

"We should have to take revenge against what they did... we cannot let this unanswered!" Admiral Rel'Tuja vas Hutr was hitting the table with his fist.

"Yes Admirals...That is why I have come up with a plan." Gerrel said it in a calm voice.

"What is your plan Grand Admiral?" Ria'Kijeal vas Degu asked shyly.

"We most have to capture one of their ships...to get information about their homeworlds location...and when it's done strike them! Hard!"

"But...We will need to have some help with that...our fleet isn't that strong, and our numbers are very limited... we can't win on our own..."

"Admiral Nael! This is our fight just ours...And by the way the council probably won't help us they never cared about us...Maybe we should leave them and make our own galactic community..."

"But...we could ask the Alliance like during the Geth War..." Said Admiral Ria.

"Admirals we won't ask for help! This is our fight! We must show the galaxy that the Quarian race can defend itself and even win against an unknown foe... Or die trying..."

"As you wish Grand Admiral, but if the situation is going to be bad...we really should ask the humans help at least." Admiral Ria stated it.

Gerrel didn't answer just nodded. After that the Admirals had left the briefing room, and headed to they places.

* * *

Gerrel was sitting on his chair looking at the maps to where to start they search for a lonely ship to capture. While he was there a familiar voice come to his ears.

"You know that the other Admirals aren't satisfied with your decision..." Said the mysterious figure.

"I don't care...as long as they follow my orders they could think what they want..."

"So you ignore your Admirals? You know that I was an Admiral once..."

"Yes I know, and I know why you had to leave the board...but this is a different situation now..."

"Well yes... there is no idiot conclave that could split into our soup..."

Han'Gerrel vas Neema Grand Admiral of Rannoch was now facing a camera drone as he started his speech about the Total war to his people.

"My fellow Quarians! Brothers and sisters thru out the galaxy. The filthy race called Phenograns had attacked our peaceful race. They slaughtered our men women and child on Klendatu. They even threaten us with slavery and to take our homeworld! We won't lose Rannoch again! Whit the blessing of the Ancestors we will fight and we will make these Phenograns a history! Today I, Grand Admiral of Rannoch; declare Total War! During this period all pilgrimage will be delayed, since we need anyone in the army. For our people and for Victory!"

After the speech was over, the streets of the major cities were crowded with people. Both men women elders and children were on the streets. The leaders of the cities –most of them former captains- asked to crowd with speakers.

"Do you want Total War?"

The crowd always answered in cheer. The recruiting offices were full, since many young Quarian wanted to join the fight.

Gerrel was happy while he looked out of the window and watching the events. The mysterious figure stood next to him.

"You know Gerrel...you should need a private army...for your safety."

"Good idea. We will need all dedicated soldier we could find!"

"I will start the preparations for it, don't worry."

Gerrel nodded and returned to enjoy the view.

* * *

The Admirals had set up a secret meeting in a local restaurant.

"Gerrel is insane... We couldn't win this alone..." Nael was very angry.

"Yes...he will surely make US history not the Phenogran..." Ria was worried.

"What should we do?" Rel asked the others.

"Xen! She might help us, and get council support to take the power away from Gerrel!" Nael came up with the idea.

"That's a good idea!"


	18. Chapter 18

Gerrel was in his office making plans and organising his new private army. The name was already given to the division. 'Admirals Life Guard'. He was looking thru the files of various officers. He was searching for those who he can really trust.

_I won't give up my title! I am the salvation of our people._

"Have you found any trustable person Gerrel?" The mysterious figure said.

"Yes, but there is not much...but it's better than nothing..."

"Good to hear. And you know that your soldiers will have to be much more dedicated as their officers!"

"Yes I know there will be ideology training for them as well...but as I said I have a lot of work to do!"

"Pardon me for helping you Grand Admiral...but if I were you I would get rid of Shepard..."

Gerrel turned around in his chair facing his partner.

"Are you insane?! He and Tali are heroes among our people, if I do something with them there would be a full revolution! He was shouting at him.

"I didn't said that! I only mentioned that they shouldn't be here at a little..."

"What are you suggesting?" Gerrel was interested in the idea.

"Offer them a vacation!"

"But that would be very suspicious...don't you think?" He raised an eyebrow under the mask.

"Well yes...but Lia! Yes she...offer a shore leave to her, if she is as dedicated as her father she would reject it, after that you could offer to give this 'gift of your' to her parents. She will agree!"

"Well it is a nice plan, worth a try, thanks!"

"That's why I'm here...Gerrel...that's why..."

* * *

Lia was in her room. Her mind was still full of the events of her last mission. She couldn't sleep. Reliving all of those horrors she and her squad had witnessed in that enemy base, was something that she never forget. She was scared, terrified but among all of these emotion she was angry. Angry about her people's fate, she wanted revenge. Revenge on these filthy creatures. These Phenograns.

_I won't stop fighting until all of these bosh'tets are dead...or if I am..._

The door of her room opened. Grand Admiral Gerrel has just entered her room. The Grand Admiral was also shocked about the new from Lias pervious mission. Lias respect for Gerrel gone stronger day by day. He wasn't the only one, who wanted to take revenge, but in Lias opinion, he was the one who can make that possible. The stories she heard about Gerrels actions, and plans to take back their homeworld these things always amused little Lia.

"Grand Admiral, your arriving here is a bit of surprise to me...Why are you here?"

"After reading your report of the events that happened during your mission, I wanted to check on how you doing..." Gerrel said in a very friendly tone.

"I am...doing fine sir...Thank you for asking...is there anything else?"

"Glad to hear it! Well yes...I want you to have a little shore leave, after those things a little rest won't hurt you."

"I am very happy about it, but I can't accept it!"

"Why so?" He was curious.

"With all due respect Grand Admiral... I want to fight! I couldn't relax while my fellow comrades are out there bleeding to protect our race against those parasites!" The hate was burning in her eyes under her mask.

"I understand, but still you earned some reward after that mission, besides of promotion, I personally want to give you something..." Gerrels voice was a bit disappointed.

"Well if it is possible...My parents...they haven't been on a holiday by themselves since they adopted me...if you could give them the shore leave insist of me...I would be very grateful..." Lias voice was little shy.

"I see no problem about it; I will inform them in person, since I do want to speak with your father personally."

"Thank you Grand Admiral! You are very kind to both me and my family..."

"You are a good soldier Lia, your father must be proud of you. Take care!"

"Thank you...See you later!"

And after that Gerrel had left her room leaving Lia alone. Looking back he noticed that Lia already started to read report of enemy activities along with managing her squad. She was as dedicated to the cause like her father. After leaving the room, Grand Admiral Han'Gerrel smiled under his mask.

_Everything is going as planned!_

* * *

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon. Both Tali and Shepard were at home, sitting on their balcony looking at how the ocean waved almost next to their house. They were enjoying their time.

"You are still as beautiful as I first saw you Tali."

"You are a little softer now John..." She said with a little smirk.

"So you are suggesting that I am fat?" Shepard continued their little play.

"Well just a little... but that is no problem to me I still like it..." Tali smiled at him.

"I was hoping so..." Shepard smiled back to her.

"I miss Lia!" Tali said in a very cold tone.

"Me too, but I bet she's okay..."

"Really John?! You heard the news, about what did her team found..." She was looking straight into Shepards face.

"Yes I heard it...but she is though I know... she could handle it on her own."

"I know, but...it's just I don't want to lose her...why didn't we adopt another child John?"

"I don't really know, we never really talked about it. Only when they wanted us to adopt a human child to ensure the alliance..."

"Yeah...idiot bosh'tet politicians...maybe that's why we didn't get more..."

"Maybe Tali, but at least we made a great job on our precious little girl!" He said and holds her hand.

Suddenly they heard knocking on the door. Both of them went to answer it, as they opened the door Gerrel was standing there.

"Gerrel what can I owe the pleasure?" Said Shepard and shacking his hand.

"Yes Grand Admiral...are you here to tell me exactly what did auntie Raan did to throw her into prison?" Tali asked sarcastically.

"Shepard! Tali! And as for your answer Tali, your auntie will be released soon I can guarantee you that...as much as I can tell you, she is innocent...it was Zaal'Korris who acted in her name..."

"This is unbelievable...Keelah!" Tali was shocked about the news.

"So Gerrel why are you here in the first place?" Shepard asked him in his friendly tone.

"Your daughter Lia..." He started but Tali cut him off.

"Is she hurt?"

"No! Not at all...So back to where I were! I offered her some shore leave after her successful mission, but she refused it. Saying that she can't rest will our enemies are still out there, and asked me to give this time for the two of you."

"For us? That's very nice of her." Shepard said

"Yes it is...Where do the two of you want to go? It will be paid by me all of it."

Shepard turned to Tali smiling at her.

"Well Tali I think it's time for you to learn skiing!"


	19. Chapter 19

After Han'Gerrel has left their home Tali turned around and faced her lover.

"John, something is not right! Auntie Raan would have never done these kinds of stupid things..."

"I know Tali but like Gerrel said she will be released from the prison...He said she is innocent, that Korris was the one manipulating him!" Shepard tried to calm her down.

"I know...I was there, but this whole thing...Gerrel taking power right after the war has been declared...and these things... strange..."

"Yes it is, but you know that he did what he had to according to your people's law..."

"Yes, he did, but...the trials had to been already end by this time!"

Tali looked into her lovers eyes. Shepards blue eyes were always a peaceful heaven to her. Shepard looked back into her eyes and smiled at her.

"Tali...I will go and have a little chat with Gerrel, for you..."

"Thank you, and since you two are almost like friends, he could listen to you."

"Well yeah...destroying the Geth and all, that made him forget that I punched him, later he even said he was sorry about the whole dreadnought issue..."

"I hope you can talk some sense to him..."

"Will do my best!"

* * *

Lia was nervous while reading her new missions details. Grand Admiral Han'Gerrel has ordered the heavy fleet to prepare for the liberation of Klendatu. According to the briefing she had got. The heavy fleet will cover the infantry while it will be deployed on the surface. Gerrel had ordered 100,000 troops with heavy weapons to the battle. Lia and the rest of the infiltrators will be dropped on the planet one day earlier. They task is to sabotage as many enemy defences as many they can. According to the scout drones the enemies present in the area are almost minimal.

After reading her briefing again she had received a message on her Omni tool. Han'Gerrel ordered Lia along with the other officers to a quick briefing.

Lia was one of the first ones to arrive at the meeting. After about 5 minutes every major officer that will take part of the liberation was in the room. Gerrel looked at them each he nodded and put out a armour piece under the table.

"This is why we will win this war!" He said with pride.

Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what is going on.

"Our scientists had worked day and night throughout the past weeks and finally..." He looked up putting his hand on the armour.

"They have finally managed to find a way to protect us from their weapons. Our troops will no longer have to fear about getting injured by a single bullet or what is that thing called."

The room was full of cheers after he finished his speech. After the room was quiet again one of the officers asked a question.

"Grand Admiral, is there enough armour for our troops?" He asked shyly.

"Well we don't have enough for the whole army, but our invasion forces won't lack of them, you don't have to fear." He placed his hand on the officers' shoulder.

The people in the room has nodded and started to leave the room, when Gerrel interrupted them.

"Oh and I hope all of you will like your new uniform design! And Lia'Shepard please stay here...I need to talk to you in private!" He said and leaned down his chair.

Lia nodded and waited for the other officers to leave the room. After only the two of them were there Gerrel had offered her to take a sit. She nodded and sat down the chair next to the Grand Admiral.

"Yes Grand Admiral? Why did you want to see me in private?" She asked very shyly.

"I just wanted to inform you, that your parents had accepted the offer, and that your 'Granny' Raan will be released from her cell tomorrow, since Korris was the one manipulating her..." At the end his tone started to get low.

"I see...good thing that Shala is innocent I hoped so...thank you!" She said and smiled at Gerrel under her mask.

"I am happy to Korris will pay for what he did..." A little anger was in his word.

"I hope so...is this all you wanted to tell me?"

"Mostly yes, and I wanted to wish you good luck child!"

"Thank you Gerrel!" She said with pride and left the room.

* * *

The next night Lia and her squad was in the shuttle, they used to shuttles to approach the surface. In the other one was Loty with the rest of the team. The sun was already down; the whole place was dark only the two moons and the stars were providing a little light. The two shuttles has landed near a forest, as they planed after getting out of them the shuttles they cover them, so the enemies scouts can't noticed them. The whole squad has completed the covering and they were at the very end of the forest. Lia opened her Omni tool and looked at the map.

"Okay, listen up! We are three clicks away from the nearest AA gun, which has to be shut down."

They nodded and started to move into the forest. Before they entered Loty has joined Lia, while she was next to her she even noticed her best friends new uniform. Like the rest of the officers Lia has received a new uniform. It was mostly black, even her visor was black to. There was a little red crossing her waist and on the top of her hood. The belts were deep purple. There was a symbol on her left breast. A Quarian mask under that there were two sniper rifles crossing each other. The symbol was green.

"Lia I haven't noticed your new uniform... its gorgeous!" Loty looked amazed.

"Uhm...well thanks Gerrel gave all officer a new uniform...Well it's kinda scary, but I like it." She smiled to her friend.

After a half of hour walk they have finally arrived next to the AA gun. There was a little base.

Lia was on the ground using her visors zooming system she checked the base. There were only a few guards there and some vehicle. Mostly tanks type.

Lia checked her squad and signed to Loty to go over to her. Loty nodded and went next to her.

"Okay Loty, we will do the same as last time! You will take about 12 men and will infiltrate the base from behind, but now kill everyone in your way! Don't forget to use silencer!" She ordered.

Loty nodded and was already taking her men thru the forest searching for the perfect place to get into the base.

While her friend left she activated her nigthvision and cloak, and started crawling to the base with the rest of her team.

About 200 metre of crawling they had finally reached the base entrance. They mask audio was silence, so all of them could communicate without the fear of being noticed. Lia ordered her engineers to disable any type of security. The engineers nodded and about a minute later they conform that all security has been shut down.

Lia nodded and the team entered to base. They were cloaked. There was a guard post with two Phenogran guard watching the horizon. Lia put her black widow in her hand and waited them to separate from each other. When they separated she shot both of them in the head one by one. Since her rifle had a silencer on no one noticed anything. After 4 more tower she finally meet up with Loty and her team.

They were heading to the main barracks when a door had open. There were two Phenogran guards going out of the building, the team quickly activated there cloak and waited. The two guards were passing by them when suddenly Lias cloak had stopped functioning. The two guards noticed her at that moment. They started firing, but her new amour protected her from any injury while the rest of the team had taken care of them.

"Okay everyone plan B, take out your sidearm and finish them before they notice what hit them!"

Everybody changed to their sidearm. Lia took her Gerrel SMG in hand while Loty used her Reegar Carbine. The team systematically cleared out every building one by one. A lot of the guards were sleeping, and they died in their sleep as well. The Quarians were ruthless. They reached the AA gun, when Lia had an idea. She called for her top engineer.

"Shile! I need your help!" She ordered.

"Shile'Jikle vas Regnom reporting in!" She saluted to Lia.

"Do you think you could overwrite the AA tower?" Lia saluted and asked the engineer.

"Will try ma'am!" She nodded and headed to work.

After about 15 minutes Shile returned to her commanding officer.

"AA tower successfully rewritten ma'am, plus safety protocol too. If someone else tries to hack it, it will blow up!" She said it with pride.

"Good job!" Lia smashed her shoulder and turned to the crew.

"Okay everyone there is four more bases like this take a little rest and rally here. We have to be done before this time tomorrow!"


	20. Chapter 20

The heavy fleet was advancing to Klendatu 5000 ships with 100,000 troops on board of them were headed to as Gerrel said; 'Show those filthy Phenograns what are the Quarians capable of!'

After the Reaper war the Quarian flotilla has been totally reformed. The old ships had been changed by new one, mostly similar to the Alliance ships.

The moral on every ship was high. The marines all of them using the new armour were eager to fight, many of them were just a little child during the war. They wanted to become heroes just like they ancestors.

Hilor was near one of the shuttles, he was back to duty for awhile now. It kept him from remembering Dari. He felt something toward the Quarian girl, but they couldn't have much time together. Because of the Phenograns. Every time he remembered this, anger filled his mind. They took his loved one away from him... it's time that he will do the same with them.

A high ranking officer has stepped into the shuttle bay. He was wearing the new type of uniform such as Lia. The same full black enviro suit, but his suits symbol was different. On his left side there was a golden planet motive which was definitely Rannoch. Under the planet there were two marine a male and a female putting their swords together.

The officer gathered all of his troops.

"Okay everyone this is it! Gather all your gear and head to the shuttles we will land on Klendatu about 15 minutes. Remember your objectives! Kill every hostile, and gather any data available. Good luck out there! Keelah se'lai!"

The marines all started cheering and about a moment later they all headed to their shuttles. Hilor did as well. His heart was pumping very fast. He was excited.

* * *

In space the heavy fleet at that time had already taken care of about half of the enemy forces. Luckily they received help from the surface to. Many of the captains didn't understand that, but they were happy about it. Lias little action was something that had been a very great asset to the attack. The Quarians lost about only 2 medium size ships with 7 smaller ones. But their advance has started to back down. The Phenograns were attacked in surprise and they were outnumbered, but they managed to regroup and started to fight back.

The shuttles had launched and the main army of 100,000 soldiers has started to approach the land that they wanted to liberate.

* * *

Lia and her team were near the landing zone, covering it if the enemy tries to attack any landing shuttles. The team was successful with the infiltration of the remaining bases and rewriting the AA guns. They had no casualties so far. That made Lia very proud of not just herself but her entire team.

_Mom and Dad will be so proud of me, and even Gerrel will be proud..._

The first shuttles had arrived as soon as they landed the marines exited them and headed to take defensive positions. After 30 more shuttle the enemy has arrived to the landing zone. The marines waited. They waited to the enemy come closer and closer. When most of the Phenograns were about 50 meters away from the Quarian defensive line approximately 50 marine had stood up with heavy weapons in their hands. They started to fire. Not so long after that the whole field was in flames. The marines used flamethrowers against their foes. The air was filled with black smoke and with the smell of burning flesh. The Phenograns retreated with panic. The marines with support from Lias team chased the routing enemy. The rest of the shuttles had arrived. The remaining troops were searching the field for remaining enemy troops. The wounded Phenograns were executed as the order said so. The Quarians were ruthless since the hate they had forward they enemy.

Lia and the rest of the marines chased the routing forces till they main base. The base was next to a cave. The drones that were in the air had provide much vital information to the attacking forces. Hilor was with his comrades in the attacking forces. In his back he was carrying a Cain heavy weapon.

"Hilor...Hilor!" His commanding officer Kel'Tres vas Nurima shouted at him.

"Wha... yes sir?!" He saluted.

"The main gate is down our forces are searching the tunnels after they gather enough data and got out of there you will blow the place to hell with all those bosh'tets in there." Kel ordered Hilor.

Hilor nodded and started to charge his weapon.

* * *

Lia and her team with 4 marine squads entered the tunnel to the cave. Inside the cave it was dark only a little light was coming from the holes on the ceilings. They managed to find some computers. Well they looked like computers. The data stored there was almost none. The marines had split up into two and checked the other smaller tunnels mostly looking for any other computer.

Lia and Loty were guarding the others while they gather data.

"Hell of a fight is it?" Loty asked her friend she was still very excited.

"Keelah... yeah it is...feels like I haven't slept in a year..." Lia said it between some yawn.

"I don't feel that maybe the adrenalin..."

"Good for you...At least we payed them back what they did to Dari..."

"Yeah...these bosh'tets will not just pay for Dari, but for all of our people..."

"Hear hear!"

Suddenly some marines rushed out of one of the tunnel. They were certainly running for their lives. One of them had bumped into Lia. Under his visor fear was in his eyes.

"What happened there soldier?" She asked.

"There are thousands of them there and are coming WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!" He screamed and started to run out.

Hilor was almost ready with his Cain, when he noticed that the marines with Lias team are running out of the tunnel. He was a bit confused, but he got over it very soon.

"Hilor! Be sure all of our men have left the tunnel and then shoot the Cain into those bosh'tets mouths or what they have!" Kel has ordered.

The rest of the team that was send into the tunnels had exited it. After clarified that everyone was out only just the enemies remaining there Hilor launched the Cain's miniature nuclear bomb. A huge explosion was after a few moments. The ground under their feet has quaked very intensively. Some of the marines even feel to the ground.

"That had to be something really huge under us!" One of the marines said.

Hilor was still under the shock of the past event. After a while he managed to put down his weapon and started to smile. He smiled after that he got down on his knees and started to cry.

"That was for my Dari you bosh'tet!" He shouted to the smoking remains of the once were tunnel.

He collapsed to the ground and cried. Loty was the first one to walk next to him and hugged him. Lia joined them a little later, she hugged Hilor too. After the hug Hilor looked into her eyes under the mask. Lia could read that he was very thankful but he didn't say a word to them.

Lia had reported to the other officers about the situation at the base they were. The others had confirmed that all enemy hostiles had been eliminated in their area, and they gathered all the data they could found.

The mission was a success. Klendatu has been liberated without many sacrifices'. Lia was happy and proud of herself.

_It is now they turn to bleed! I hope Gerrel will be happy about the data..._


	21. Chapter 21

**This part is mostly about Xen, from now on she has a major role in the story. Hope you guys like it! :)**

* * *

Councillor Daro'Xen was sitting in her office on the citadel reading reports about the war and about the liberation of Klendatu. According to the news the marines had managed to gather enough data to locate the Phenograns homeworld with other colonies they have. According to the report there are approximately 50 planets inhabited by the enemy. That was a huge number.

_Well if we still have the Geth under our control this could be a lot easier._

Looking thru her other incoming messages she noticed one labelled 'High priority'. Xen was curios since they took her rang as Admiral and put her in the citadel; to stay away from home she never received something like that. She opened the letter.

_To Councillor Daro'Xen vas Moreh;_

_Councillor the Admiral staff would like to speak with you as soon as possible, about a very urgent topic. This could affect the fate of the entire Quarian race!_

_We hope you will reply as soon as possible!_

_The Admiral staff._

Daro'Xen laid back on her chair looking up at the office ceiling. After a while she opened her Omni tool. She was searching for something, while searching she found a picture a very old one. As seeing it her eyes started to tear up. Old, painful memories. Memories of all she had lost in the past.

In the picture there was 3 young Quarian; most of them were in their pre pilgrimage stage. Xen was in the middle one. She was young and full of happiness. On her left there was a young man Rel'Jilon, Xens first crush. She never ever felt something like love before she met Rel, he was something special to her. On her right side was another young girl. Xen looked at her. All the memories were hitting her mind like a train. The girl in the picture was her best friend Kety'Linn. She always liked her, since Xen got out of her bubble she was always there to her. Mostly after Xens parents had died Kety was the only family she had.

Under her helmet Xen was smiling, seeing again her old friends was something pleasant to her soul. But suddenly all of the happiness had gone... The memories... the bad memories of their pilgrimage.

Xen got up from her chair and headed to the balcony. She needed some fresh air. Her eyes were full with tears as she remembered all the past events.

She and Rel were in the same colony during their pilgrimage. Rel was working in the mines while Daro was on a farm with a family. They life was pretty easy until one day. It was a rainy day they were on the planet for 3 months now. Daro was heading back to the farm from the cities market. Somehow everyone was looking at her. All eyes were on her, she was very uncomfortable with the situation. She was walking next to the mines when she noticed that there were a lot of people there. She was curious. What she had seen after that was something she would never forget. Rel was on the ground his visor broken; his blood was all over the ground. One of the miners got angry with something and started to blame the Quarian. He resisted, and with that he already signed his death sentence. The miners had attacked him, beat him and eventually kill him. Of course the miner said that they caught Rel stealing and he attacked them so they all acted in self defence. After that everyone in the colony was looking at Xen in a suspicious way. After a few days the family where she was serving fired her. She was wandering the streets for days looking for work. Until a night the same miner, all of them were drunk this time found her. They started to make fun of her and eventually started to hit her. She was too weak to defend herself, but for her luck a young guy saved her.

This man offered her work and help. Daro was very happy finally her pilgrimage was back on track...well she thought that. When they arrived at the man's house she was attacked by some thugs they gave her drugs, after that everything was black. The next thing she remembers is a ship with many Batarian on board. She was a slave. The man sold her as a slave. She was agonized; she wanted to go home, to be free again. Later an Asari had bought her; she was used as a sex slave on Omega. The drugs, the torture, the pain of infections were hard to get thru. One day while being in her cell having a fever since the cheap antibiotics did almost nothing, they brought a new girl in her cell. The girl was scared and very familiar to her. It was Kety.

Kety had much more pain and torture during her slavery, mostly because her personality wasn't as strong as Xens. During the times when they were all alone they talked about going home, and making plans. On one night Kety was used by a Krogan, after that she was collapsed. She cried the whole day begging to Daro to kill her. Xen tried to calm her down, after a while she succeeded. Kety was very happy, later she confessed that she love Xen. Xen felt the same. They had an intensive kiss and since a very long time they were happy.

One day the Asari has choosen Kety as her new toy. She was already weak. Her screams were heard all in the building. Rage was boiling in Daro. After 2 days Kery has died from infection. Xen wanted to die. She lost everything, but later that day the Blue Suns had attacked and captured the building, they released the slaves and let them took revenge on their captors. Daro was ruthless.

Now many years after all of this here she was on the citadel, making no progress on her life goal. Revenge for her loved ones and for her people. Tears started to stop coming out of her eyes. Her mind was clear again.

_Han'Gerrel will just bring us into hell if he stays in power! I will put our race to its rightful position! For our people, and for you Rel...and for you Kety...my love..._

She opened her Omni tool and sends a message to the Admiralty about the meeting.

* * *

Shepard was heading to Gerrels offices. Han'Gerrel was sitting alone reading the reports of the previous mission on Klendatu. There was knocking on the door.

"Come in!"

Shepard entered the room.

"Shepard, why is the pleasure seeing you here?" He asked in his usual friendly tone.

"Gerrel, I just wanted to inform you about where we will be on our holiday and Tali asked me to if it is possible bring Raan home..." He said.

"Shala will be released today, I just need to sign a few paper."

"Thanks Gerrel, BTW any news about Lia?"

"Your daughter is amazing Shepard, her squad had taken down key enemy bases and without my order they hacked the enemies defences and got us a very good asset with that."

"I knew she would be up to the task. Oh and we will go to Earth to the mountains where there is snow."

"Shepard, I have an offer to you!"

"And what it is?"

"Take Raan with you... a little vacation will make her happy after all this..."

"All right Gerrel, and before I leave one thing."

"Yes Shepard what it is?"

"You know I helped you with the Geth without me no one would be here... I respect you as a friend, but if you will do something stupid...I mean much more stupid than the dreadnaught...I will kick your ass so hard..."

"Nodded Shepard and don't worry I have everything under control!"

"I hope so!"

Han nodded and after that Shepard has left the office. When he arrived home Tali was in the door waiting for him. The only thing she did was hug him.

"What is it Tali?"

"Auntie Raan is finally home...Thank you..." She said with tears of happiness on her checks.


End file.
